


Let’s Die Together

by Fantasy_Fan_223



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Azure Moon and Crimson Flower Merging, Canon Divergence, F/M, Let them be HAPPY Damnit!, Or more of a medium burn if that’s a thing, Screw Thales, Slow Burn, dimigard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:01:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 141,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21698152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fantasy_Fan_223/pseuds/Fantasy_Fan_223
Summary: When Dimitri and Edelgard reunite at Garreg Mach Monastery, Dimitri hesitantly tries to rekindle their dormant friendship. It’s a bloody, painful, and destructive path Edelgard walks, but she grows appreciative to the fact that she won’t have to walk it alone.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Edelgard von Hresvelg
Comments: 482
Kudos: 493





	1. The Prince

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: You know, whether we hate Edelgard and/or Dimitri for the terrible things they've done in the name of their versions of justice, or love either or both of them despite it, it brings a smile to my face knowing there is at least one thing we El Stans and Dima Stans have in common:
> 
> SCREW. LORD. ARUNDEL. Bastard ruined both their childhoods and scarred them for life, smh.
> 
> So yeah that's basically the premise of this "what-if" self-indulgent fanfiction: "Edelgard and Dimitri team up to save Fódlan and give Arundel/Thales the most painful and humiliating death possible because in the game he dies WAYYY to fast and painlessly"
> 
> Mind you, as said in the summary this is indeed a Dimigard story, meaning Edelgard and Dimitri will have a romantic relationship somewhere down the line. So if that's not your cup of tea this story is probably not for you.
> 
> Alright! Enough blabbering, hope you enjoy the first chapter!

The Welcoming Feast was full of life, chatter and laughter. The chandeliers above colouring everything a warm comforting glow, the smell of delicious food wafting from the kitchens, and Edelgard despised it all.

As she watched her fellow students joke and eat without a care in the world, all she felt were negative emotions—contempt, guilt, jealousy. Mostly jealousy, if she were to shamefully admit it.

They were irrational thoughts, Edelgard knew but the childish part of her that had yet to be properly disposed of had a habit of rearing its head at times, angrily wondering why they could enjoy the last wisps of childhood when she couldn't.

"Lady Edelgard," Hubert murmured, breaking through Edelgard's thoughts and giving her arm a squeeze. "Are you well?"

Edelgard opened her mouth to respond before stopping herself, opting to instead nod silently. Hubert narrowed his visible eye in disbelief and Edelgard looked away with a sigh. "You need to stop that, you know."

"I am merely completing my duty, Lady Edelgard."

"Nowhere in your duty does it say you need to pry into my every thought," Edelgard responded testily.

"Hey! What're you two whispern' about?" A loud voice called, forcing Edelgard and Hubert's attention back on the Black Eagle table.

Right. She forgot who else was here.

"It's none of your business, Caspar," Another boy by the name of Lindhart—unless Edelgard was mistaken—said. He watched his blue haired companion with sheer disinterest as he lay cheek first on the table. "Besides, why do you care?"

Caspar frowned and looked away with his arms crossed. "I was just curious, sheesh!"

"Obviously, but _why?"_

Edelgard was saved by the incoming argument thanks to a voice that stood apart from the crowd.

Edelgard could tell it was the voice of a boy very close to manhood; deep but still echoing with childlike delight. It was also familiar.

So very familiar.

Her eyes easily located the voice's source—a boy with trimmed golden hair and glacier blue eyes. He was talking with more students on his own table; The Blue Lions if the prominent azure colour on all their outfits was anything to go by.

Edelgard didn't recognize him at all...and yet that nagging familiarity stubbornly remained and she swiftly found herself analyzing his face and movements for some semblance of an answer, his reserved body motions, the polite quirk of his lips, his light familiar laughter.

A voice in the back of Edelgard's head hissed at her for wasting time and energy, but she felt she couldn't help it.

And then his eyes locked with hers.

Edelgard knew those eyes, she knew that gaze. But from where? where?

Her curiosity peaked when even from here, Edelgard could see him gasp in surprise before slowly, slowly, delight brightened his features. The boy held up a hand in greeting before a soft hesitant smile found its way onto his lips.

And now she was very confused. He seemingly recognized her too, but how?

And why couldn't she remember?

Edelgard didn't realize that her confusion had caused her to frown back until she saw disappointment and hurt flash across his face.

-o0o-

She was here. The same prideful lilac eyes and small rose tinted lips that had only grown more lovely with age since when they were young. Yes her hair was no longer that soft golden brown—for reasons he didn't dare think to ask about but was curious about none of the less—but he could never forget her. Edelgard was here in this very room with him.

And staring right at him.

Dimitri felt as if his heart had seized for a few seconds. A multitude of emotions clashing within him like a colourful storm of sensations. She remembered him too surely? Or was it too long ago?

Nevertheless, he wasn't too keen on having a staring contest. He held up a hand in greeting and gave her a smile, more hesitant than he wanted it to be,but he supposed it couldn't be helped—he was excited to see El again...but also scared, scared of how different things would be.

She frowned and Dimitri flinched, feeling an invisible arrow puncture his heart. Either she didn't remember and was baffled as to why he was saying hello, or she did remember, and no longer wanted anything to do with him.

In all honesty, Dimitri couldn't figure out which was worse.

"Your Highness. Is everything alright?" The deep voice of Dedue brought Dimitri back to the here and now.

"Yeah, I was calling your name for almost a minute," Sylvain added, crossing his arms. "Who were you waving at?"

Dimitri sighed softly and poked the contents of his plate numbly with his fork. "It's Edelgard—she's here."

"Edelgard? Ohhh! you mean the poor soul you gave a dagger to?"

"Sylvain!" Ingrid snapped, giving the red-head a withering glare that had him panically putting his hands up in surrender. She then turned to Dimitri, gaze softening. "Yes I remember her. She taught you how to dance, didn't she?"

A wistful smile formed on Dimitri's face. "Indeed."

"Well? Why don't you go over and talk to her? I'm sure she'll be happy to see you," Ingrid suggested with a little shoulder nudge.

Dimitri thought back to the frown she had sent his way and flinched. "No, no I-I don't think she'd like to talk."

From beside Sylvain on the other side of the table, Felix scoffed. "Can't blame her. She probably smells your boar stench from all the way over there."

Dedue gave Felix a warning scowl and Ingrid snapped, "One day! We can't go one day without you being needlessly cruel to His Highness!"

"It's alright, Ingrid. Felix is right," Dimitri said glancing up at Edelgard who had returned to her dinner. "I've changed, she's changed; perhaps our friendship best remains in the past."

"Don't know unless you try, right?" Sylvain said, leaning forward slightly. "Go on, talk to her! And if she isn't interested in being friends again you can leave it at that."

Ingrid quirked an eyebrow and smirked. "Did you just give good advice?"

Sylvain gasped and pressed a hand to his chest. "Dearest Ingrid, your words wound me!" He made a dramatic gasping noise and face planted the table, eliciting a laugh from Dimitri and Ingrid. Even Felix's lips betrayed a tiny smile.

Dimitri glanced up at Edelgard once more and sucked in a sharp breath as he saw she was eyeing him again.

Her face betrayed no emotion and those eyes once filled with adoration and fondness were now as cold as ice in a Faeghus winter.

Dimitri waited—waited for the ice to melt and the warmth to come back.

Instead, sighing and shaking her head she turned to converse with a pretty brunette from her house.

"I mean...she's staring at you," Sylvain said with a shrug.

Dimitri didn't bother mentioning that it wasn't an overly welcome stare—although knowing Sylvain and his...hobbies, he probably didn't know the difference anyway.

Still, with a deep breath Dimitri nodded slowly. He got up from his seat and frowned when he could no longer see Edelgard at the Black Eagles table.

He scanned the room for her before his eyes zeroed in on a trail of alabaster hair disappearing through the large wooden doors of the Dining Hall.

Taking a second deep breath, Dimitri made his way towards them, stopping when he saw Dedue stand up to follow. "Actually, Dedue, I would like it if you stayed here."

Dedue furrowed his brow. "Your Highness—"

"Come now, my friend. I'm certain I'll be perfectly safe away from you for a few mere moments," Dimitri smiled.

Dedue hesitated before nodding obediently and returning to his seat now closer to Ingrid with Dimitri not there between them. Dimitri noticed the way she scooted away from him and sighed.

Something he'd need to talk to her about.

But for now, he was taking heavy step after heavy step towards the doors that lead outdoors. Where Edelgard would be—where El was waiting. Or at least what was left of her.

Taking in a final, deeper breath, he exited the Dining Room and was tickled immediately with lukewarm night air.

And there, bathed in moonlight and staring out into the distance with her hands gripping the stone banister, was Edelgard.

-o0o-

Edelgard was acutely aware of the sound of the doors opening and closing behind her. She was about to turn around and scold Hubert for following her after she told him not to when she noticed the sound of the footfalls.

They were heavier, and far more hesitant than the quiet confident walk of Hubert.

Curious but also cautious, she looked over her shoulder.

"...you," Edelgard said, not knowing exactly what to say in this situation with this complete (not really, not quite. How do I know you?) stranger.

There it was again, that flicker of hurt striking like lightning across the boy's eyes. "Ah, yes it's...me."

The boy stepped closer until he was standing about a foot away from her. Now that he was closer, Edelgard could see him better; the sharp angles of his face, his slim pale lips and broad chest and shoulders—traits she recognized from paintings of the late King Lambert.

And then it clicked. "Oh, forgive me. You are Dimitri Alexandre Blayddyd, Crown Prince of Faerghus are you not?" Edelgard dipped into an elegant bow. "Apologies for not recognizing you. I am Edelgard von Hresvelg, the Imperial Princess of The Adrestian Empire."

Edelgard was in fact not sorry, and while she was still bowing she let an indignant scowl grace her features. Was this why he kept giving her that wounded puppy look? Because he was a prince and she didn't recognize him? How childish and arrogant! She would not tell him so, of course; the last thing she needed was another enemy on her worryingly long list.

She smoothed her face and stood once more, expecting to see a self-satisfied cockily grinning prince before her.

Instead, his face looked even more despondent than before.

"I see..." Prince Dimitri said quietly, gaze falling to the stone floor. "You truly don't remember me."

Edelgard's confused frown returned. So it wasn't his prince status that she had recognized?

Just who was he?

"Do you at least remember the dagger I gave you?" Dimitri asked with a hint of desperation in his voice, taking a few steps closer.

"Dagger?" Edelgard repeated, hand drifting instinctively to the weapon at her hip. Dimitri's eyes followed it and his eyes lit up with unspeakable joy.

"Ah, You still have it! I gave that to you, when you left Faerghus years ago..." Dimitri's voice trailed off as he looked back into Edelgard's eyes, sadness pinching his brows together. "But your eyes...there is no spark of recognition in them."

Edelgard looked away from him momentarily, clawing through the drawers of her brain to prove if his information was correct.

No...no she'd never been to Faerghus, she was sure of it, and she'd surely remember if she'd known someone as important as Prince Dimitri.

Then again, she could be wrong—her mind was not what it once was and there were many things about her childhood she couldn't remember, and Prince Dimitri seemed fully sincere as she appraised his saddened blue eyes and slightly slumped shoulders.

"Perhaps you don't believe me—honestly I wouldn't blame you," Prince Dimitri chuckled awkwardly and looked up at the sky, shaking his head. "I don't know why you can't remember, but you do not and I've changed from the boy back then anyhow. Despite our history, we are but strangers now."

Edelgard's face remained passive as she watched the prince close his eyes as if mulling something over.

Finally he looked down from the sky, a face of determination greeting. "Right. Princess Edelgard; this may seem like a...strange request but I wish to start over. We may be strangers now but that doesn't have to be the case forever," and then he smiled, a bright hopeful smile. "You may not remember the joyous time we had together, but I know in my heart that the friendship we shared is still there, lying dormant."

Prince Dimitri took yet another step closer and held out his hand. "If you agree, I wish to rekindle that friendship."

Edelgard stared at his hand, thoughtful. This could be a beneficial alliance; with ties to Prince Dimitri she could perhaps ask for cooperation during the upcoming war—unlikely given the Kingdom's relationship with the church, but at the very least she could perhaps ensure its neutrality and make the casualties far less severe.

And so, with a slow nod and pragmatic way to use this to her leverage, Edelgard took Dimitri's hand and shook.

"I would be delighted to give it a try," She said, and the prince's smile broadened further than the polite ones he'd been giving at the feast.

"I—I don't, thank you! I-I mean—" Prince Dimitri flushed and stepped back, clearing his throat and quickly bowing. "I will ensure you do not regret your decision."

In that one moment, the fates of Fódlan, Edelgard and Dimitri, changed forever.

-o0o-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: If any of you were wondering, there's a headcanon going around that Edelgard's PTSD prevented her from remembering Dimitri until he called her "El" in both AM and CF. That's why she was so aloof towards him up until the very end.
> 
> The hell does Claude get to live in every route but Dimitri and Edelgard die in any route not their own? Injustice I say!
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Next chapter is already partially planned out and should be posted soon!
> 
> Apologies for any typos, I haven't a computer at the moment and am making due with my phone.
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!
> 
> EDIT: NOVEMBER 11 2020, this chapter has been revised


	2. The Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the lovely words and kudos you all are giving me!
> 
> That’s all I wanted to say, hope you enjoy this new chapter!

The Feast had ended on a truly high note for Dimitri.

The energy of the Dining Hall had been warm and wonderful, his childhood friends had been a joy to be around as always, and he had even begun some new friendships with the other members of the Blue Lions. A bubbly girl by the name of Annette, a shy and earnest boy named Ashe, and Mercedes, a kind young woman who exuded a motherly aura that Dimitri thoroughly appreciated.

But by far the highlight of the night had been seeing Edelgard again, asking to try once more with their friendship—and having her accept.

With all this happiness in his heart, weariness coaxing him to his bed and (what he assumed was) good food filling his belly, as he found his way to his assigned dorm room Dimitri had been certain sleep would find him faster than it had in years.

How naive he was.

"Get up," A voice sharp and cold spat at him.

Dimitri's eyes snapped open, coming face to face with the unblinking glare of his father staring down at him. Golden hair and blue eyes like his own, once shining with life and vibrancy. Now, that hair hung limp and unkept over his face. Now, those eyes held nothing but disgust and accusations.

"Get. Up."

Dimitri sighed wearily, closing his eyes momentarily before opening them again. "Father...tomorrow I swear to dedicate my day to both training and finding your murderer. But I fear tonight I am too weary to do anything."

"Nonsense. You are closer than ever to finding that monster and you have wasted enough time. Get up now!" Lambert barked, hands slamming against the mattress either side of Dimitri's head. Dimitri gasped and flinched at the sudden outburst, swallowing thickly before responding, "I need rest—"

"Rest?" A feminine voice drawled.

Turning, Dimitri could see his stepmother standing by the bed. She wore the same glassy eyed glare Lambert possessed and like him, her hair—the same caramel brown that Edelgard had once possessed—was unruly and stringy with lack of care.

"What good does rest do us, Dimitri?"

"I—"

"He's making excuses," another voice said from further back in the room.

There atop the dresser, Glenn sat and swung his legs back and forth. "You don't truly care for us, do you, Dimitri?"

"No!" Dimitri cried, throwing off his comforters and staggering to his feet. "No, no, no, that's not true at all! I love you, all of you!"

The ghosts all blinked out of existence and Dimitri let out a sigh of relief, believing he had appeased them for now.

But then he felt a cold finger running down the side of his neck, causing him to tense and shudder in discomfort. "You love us...and yet you rest easily knowing the Masked Man is out there. That sounds like indifference to me, Dimitri," Patricia hissed in his ear.

Dimitri squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth as he vigorously shook his head. "No..."

"We perished for you Dimitri," Lambert snarled, now stepping in front of the quivering prince. "The least you can do is carry out our desires!"

"I-I will, I swear—!"

"But you still want to rest like a weakling?" Glenn asked, Dimitri opened his eyes and turned to the sound of his voice. Glenn's back was turned as he stared out the window. Then he pressed his palms against the cool glass, fingers splayed.

"No! I—" Dimitri took in a deep breath, closed his eyes then opened them again. The ghosts were all at the window now, and they all were facing him, glaring.

"I'll get dressed and go train. Right now." Dimitri clenched his fists and locked eyes with all three of them.

"But please...please don't speak as though I've failed you," Dimitri said, eyes burning with unquenchable resolution and rage as he added, "I swear on the blood in my veins, from tonight onward, I will not rest until you have your tribute. I will have the head of the one who took you from me!"

-o0o-

Edelgard woke up to a grey ceiling. Glowing artificial lights flickered sporadically and caused shadows to disappear and reappear.

"What?" She whispered to herself, eyes darting around the room and taking everything in. A metal table with a multitude of utensils she didn't recognize, a cell door in front of her.

Where was she? All she remembered was her uncle giving her tea before bed like he always did, and then she felt super tired...

But this wasn't her bed. And it wasn't her room.

Edelgard tried to sit up, only to find that she couldn't. Her small arms and legs were cuffed with metal manacles.

"Uncle!" Edelgard's breathing increased and she pulled and pulled at her restraints knowing that it wouldn't work, knowing that she couldn't get free, knowing that this situation was completely out of her control—

"Uncle what's going on?!" Edelgard cried as the squealing of metal could be heard and the cell door swung open.

Two men in bird masks walked in and held her thrashing body down as Edelgard continued to shriek. "NO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"

And then her uncle was above her pinned form, smiling. Eyes dead and without mercy.

One of the bird masked men took a needle, flicked Edelgard's forearm in search of a vein, and then painfully stabbed her with it.

Her back arched and she gasped as foreign cold liquids entered her bloodstream and numbed her limbs, sending her body crashing back down. Edelgard's thrashing had stopped and now all she could do was look teary eyed up at her uncle beseechingly.

Arundel clicked his tongue in mock sympathy and slid a hand through Edelgard's sweat slicked brown bangs. "Oh you poor thing. Don't you worry, dear. This won't hurt—too much..."

Edelgard's eyes snapped open and she let out a strangled gasp. A wooden beamed ceiling stared back.

Looking around the room, she felt her muscles loosen as they swept across familiar surroundings. The long mirror by the door, the old vanity where her brushes ribbons, and dagger lay, sunlight pouring out the glistening window and causing the gauzy curtains to glow a buttery yellow.

A nightmare. That was all it was.

Edelgard's eyes fluttered closed and she took in a deep calming breath. This was good, this was a reminder of what needed to be done.

No more doubts.

When Edelgard opened her eyes again, determination had frozen her gaze over with jagged edges of ice. She then slid out of bed and moved to get changed out of her nightgown, wiping away drying tears as she did so.

Yes. No more breaks. No more distractions. The apprehension of the Feast the previous night would never return again. What mattered now was freeing this world of all injustice.

Edelgard had finished changing and was in the process of brushing her hair when she heard a hesitant knock on the door. She paused to ask a curt, "Yes?"

"Edelgard? It's Dimitri. Are you decent?"

Edelgard frowned to herself and turned to the door in confusion. Prince Dimitri? Why would...? Oh. That...agreement she made with him last night. Right.

She sighed softly to herself and continued brushing. Edelgard would have to dismiss him; today she needed to train and map out the Monastery.

Edelgard placed the brush down and reached for her ribbons at the same time she turned to the door again. "I'm sorry I..." her voice trailed off as her fingers brushed not the delicate silk of her lavender ribbons but the solid hilt of her dagger.

She paused, glancing down at the sheathed weapon and running her fingertips up and down its hilt in rhythmic contemplation.

"...need a moment. I'll be out soon."

Edelgard could hear a relieved sigh from behind the door. "Of course, of course! Is it alright with you if I wait out here?"

"If you wish," Edelgard answered, sliding her fingers off the dagger, properly locating her ribbons, and proceeding to tie one then the other.

Talking with the prince wasn't a waste of time—Prince Dimitri may have grand ideas of rekindling their (alleged) past friendship but Edelgard had no such delusions—speaking with him was simply a means to an end, not a leisurely pastime. Yes, like she had figured beforehand, an alliance was unlikely. But she could still evaluate him, see what made him tick, be prepared for the high chance she would have to fight him on the battlefield.

-o0o-

True to his word, Dimitri hadn't slept and it was partially thanks to his Crest of Blaiddyd that he was still standing. It hadn't been fun training tirelessly and having to get by through the night with snatched apples from the kitchens and quick breaks sitting, but he had sworn to his ghosts that he would not rest. So resting he would not do.

But he also had a duty to Edelgard—more specifically their currently non-existing relationship. Dimitri had been the one to initiate this agreement and so it was he that needed to get the ball rolling.

So alas, here he was.

Edelgard opened her door at last and her eyes were already darting across every inch of his face, seemingly analyzing every muscle and pore that it possessed.

Dimitri fought the urge to swallow nervously. Had the makeup not covered his dark circles properly? Was his smile not bright enough? Was his uniform wrinkled?

"Prince Dimitri," she acknowledged finally.

"Please, simply Dimitri is fine. No need for formal titles, we're all students here," Dimitri said with a light smile.

"That is an interesting response."

"I...suppose?"

The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Dimitri was able to steel himself against Edelgard's intimidating stare and make his request.

"Does walking to the Dining Hall together sound acceptable to you?"

Edelgard nodded and closed her bedroom door gently behind her. "Certainly," she said coolly.

As the two began their stroll, Dimitri had to remind himself multiple times that this Edelgard was very different from the one he had known so long ago. The biggest change was that she was quieter; all curt nods, and evaluating looks.

Lots of evaluating looks.

After begging Dedue for ten minutes to allow him to visit Edelgard on his own, it was slightly disheartening to have his efforts be paid back with fascinating conversations such as:

"So, Edelgard. Do you have a favourite colour?"

"No."

"Oh...I see."

"Mhm."

"...I like silver."

"That's nice."

"It reminds me of my father you see—he wore…" his voice trailed off as he glanced at Edelgard and noticed the casual indifference on her face.

Dimitri sighed softly to himself and turned away to frown at the wooden ceiling of the upper floor. This was far harder than he anticipated it would be. Why was she so cold? What had he done already to inspire such apathy from her?

But he couldn't just give up, he needed to work for Edelgard's adoration again. Thus, he turned to glance back at her in an attempt to start another pointless conversation—oh Goddess she was looking at him again.

Dimitri fought the urge to flinch as the cool lilac eyes bored into his very soul. Flickering from his eyes to his posture to the entirety of his face. Once more he felt self conscious.

Dimitri was about to ask if something was wrong when Edelgard said, "May I ask you a question?"

Oh! She was initiating the conversation this time; this was good! This meant progress!

"Yes, of course!" Dimitri smiled, trying and mostly succeeding from hiding the full extent of his relief and glee from his voice.

The two turned a hallway and gave a polite "good morning" to two students passing by before Edelgard closed her eyes and asked her question.

"Say you are in a war and you have valuable information that could cause the fighting to end once and for all," she opened her eyes and glanced up at Dimitri. "But your enemies catch wind of this. They kidnap you and torture you and tell you that they'll let you go if you give them this information. What would you do?"

This time, Dimitri did flinch. He hadn't expected such a...dark question. Nevertheless, he thought for only a moment before answering.

"Well...ending a war could save millions of innocent lives. If this information I possess could do such a thing, I would keep silent."

"And if they threatened your life?"

"My silence would stand. What is one life compared to that of millions?"

Edelgard's expression was completely unreadable as she nodded slowly. And then asked, "What if they threatened someone you held dear? A family member, a friend, a lover?"

Dimitri furrowed his brow as they exited the indoors and made their way across the lawn, passing the commoner dorms. His thoughts were brought to those flames of Duscur—his father's headless corpse, Glenn's melting skin, his stepmother nowhere to be found and that man in the mask...stalking towards him and a young frightened Dedue with a large axe dripping with the blood of a dead king.

Dimitri had cried then, like a weakling. Had done nothing but shake and try feebly to push Dedue behind him because he had to protect someone—

Dimitri clenched his fists tightly, lips twisting into a snarl. "If that were the case...if they had threatened to kill someone I loved, I'd find this enemy of mine...and end him. Slowly."

He heard the steady beat of Edelgard's heels seize. That made him pause and blink twice in shock at the words that had left him.

Eyes wide, he turned to Edelgard. She was staring far more intently at him than before and he felt his cheeks burn. Why would he say something so...boorish in front of someone? Someone he was trying to make his friend no less!

"I-I'm sorry," Dimitri said quickly. "I don't know what came over me, though I'm usually not like this I swear—" He stopped and cleared his throat before saying, "If-if that were the case I would do all I could to get them out of my enemy's grasp and if that failed, well I think I would give them what they wanted."

After a moment in which Dimitri held a deep breath, Edelgard raised an eyebrow and they continued walking. Dimitri sighed in relief at the fact she hadn't immediately left his side in disgust. "Didn't you just tell me that one life was meaningless compared to millions?"

"I-I did. But it's different when it's just your life on the line. I know it is a selfish thought, especially for a future king such as I—but to me, a single loved one is worth more to me than millions of strangers," Dimitri paused to gauge Edelgard's response and saw that her face was still expertly neutral. He was beginning to wonder why she was asking such questions.

They walked up the stone staircase that led to the outside Dining Hall doors and Dimitri staggered, crashing against the stone railing. That cursed fatigue was catching up with him...

"Are you unwell?" Edelgard asked him with a frown.

Dimitri forced a smile. "No. Don't worry about me," he said as he pushed himself back up and soldered up the stairs.

'Slow and steady...' he told himself mentally as he reached the top and sighed softly in relief.

As the duo entered the Dining Hall, Dimitri noticed it was just as it was last night, cheerful chatter and a warm atmosphere, with the differing factor that it was daytime and the smell of butter, cinnamon and eggs seasoned the air instead of the scent of meat and vegetables.

Before either could return to their designated tables though, Edelgard stopped and said, "I have one more question."

Dimitri nodded hesitantly. "Alright, I'm listening."

"If your enemies had no loved ones to hold as leverage against you and you knew it would benefit winning your war, would you risk the lives of your own people?"

Dimitri frowned and shook his head. "No. Never."

Edelgard nodded slowly in what seemed to be contemplative thought before she looked back up at Dimitri and smiled for the first time that morning—it wasn't a warm one however, it was perfectly noble, polite and nothing more. "Thank you for this insightful conversation, Dimitri. I've learned much about you."

Dimitri gave a light bow and returned the smile. "And thank you for humoring me with this little walk."

The smile slowly faded as a thought occurred to him.

"Ah, Edelgard, wait!" Dimitri called to the princess as she was walking away. She glanced at him over her shoulder with a questioning tilt of her head.

"While our conversation was...interesting and I'm glad you've learned some things about me, I realize I haven't much learned a thing about you." 'Other than you evaluating tendencies,' Dimitri neglected to add.

"Indeed. Goodbye, Prince Dimitri," was all Edelgard said before turning her gaze forward once more and continuing to walk.

The use of his formal title made Dimitri's face fall. It reminded him all too much of the distance between them, her insistent formal detachment towards him, the fact that things had changed so much, that things would never be as they were back when they were children ballroom dancing until the day's end.

It also occurred to Dimitri that this was exactly what Edelgard was trying to say.

...then why amuse him? What exactly did she want from him?

Dimitri shook his head as he started walking to his Blue Lions table. Perhaps Edelgard had already given up on ever rekindling their friendship.

But for better or for worse, he had not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn’t watch ALL of Dimitri’s supports so I’m not 100% sure if he recognized the Flame Emperor armour from his past or his resentment towards the alter ego was due to the things she had a hand in during White Clouds and later what he overheard in her conversation with Thales and Kronya but WHATEVER this is how it’s going to be for my story purposes! 
> 
> Next chapter will be much longer and re-introduce Byleth, Claude, and the members of both the Blue Lions and Black Eagles! Plus, El and Dima will get a cute little moment ^^
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!
> 
> NOVEMBER 11, 2020: CHAPTER HAS BEEN REVISED


	3. The Weapon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to keep up my Friday streak but alas, life wasn’t having it. Today’s chapter will be a make up chapter, but this week Friday I’m hoping to post another! 
> 
> Anyway, the plot moves up a gear starting today, and so does the word count. There’s also some action, fluff, and that sweet, *sweet* angst so buckle up folks!
> 
> Also I’m going to just pretend the school year starts on the Great Tree Moon when the game starts because this girl is NOT wasting time writing a zillion “Dimitri keeps trying to get Edelgard to open up but she’s just not having it” scenes to fill up the first two months because I do not want to bore you guys and I’m sure we’re all wanting some action. 
> 
> Anyway, enough me! Hope you enjoy!

There were rare instances when even the outdoors couldn't steel Edelgard's nerves. It was a shame too, the night was merciful in its mild weather and shown silvery moonlight across her pacing form beside the fishing pond.

Arundel had contacted Edelgard shortly after breakfast that morning through "Tomas" who had relayed that the man posing as her uncle was "pleased with this turn of events". She was unsure and more than slightly apprehensive of what that meant.

Was he speaking of her brief conversations with Dimitri? Why? From her evaluation from this morning he didn't appear to have what it took to walk along side Edelgard. Yes, his willingness for self-sacrifice was noble; but his seeming _un_ willingness to sacrifice anyone else wouldn't do for the path Edelgard was cutting.

Then there was the eerie bloodlust that had escaped his mouth.

Either Arundel saw something else in Dimitri to be manipulated, or he was speaking of something else entirely.

She despised not knowing what Arundel was up to, hated more than anything that he had his spies to keep an eye on her but she couldn't keep one on him, _loathed_ the fact that she was even worried. This was probably why he hadn't bothered to elaborate in the first place—to set her on edge, to remind her who was holding the cards.

Edelgard stopped pacing and huffed as she glared up at the sky, fingers biting into her gloved hands due to the tight clench of her fists.

No, the outdoors were certainly not enough, she needed to blow off some steam. And so, Edelgard made her way to the Training Grounds.

As she opened the large doors she was met with the scent of sweat swimming with the air's currents. Sand shifted under her feet and the only light was that of the Great Tree Moon.

After a deep breath, Edelgard selected a training axe from the weapon rack and gave it a little testing twirl to determine its weight.

Satisfied, Edelgard took the axe and focused her attention on the training dummies in front of her. Another deep breath later and she was dashing forward in a burst of addictive adrenaline, pivoting then striking, ducking under invisible attacks and striking with double handed blows and grunts of exertion.

She imagined cutting down Arundel and Rhea and every single monster that tainted Fódlan. She imagined cutting her future, cutting the suffocating strings that the Agarthans strangled her with.

With a dramatic twirl and battle cry, she decapitated the dummy's head and sent it crashing to the ground with soft _thump_ as straw spilled out of it.

"You have a truly mesmerized fighting style," a voice said, causing Edelgard to blink out of her mild trance. She swiped a hand across her sweaty forehead before turning to glance at the voice's owner.

"Prince Dimitri. I wasn't expecting anyone to be up at this hour," Edelgard said to the prince as he lingered in the doorway.

"I could say the same," Dimitri said with a small smile. "As selfish as it is, it's nice to know I'm not the only one who can't rest. Anyway, you don't mind if I train as well, do you?"

"Go right ahead," Edelgard said, hoisting the training axe over her shoulder and walking over to the weapon rack. "I was just finishing up."

Edelgard was in the midst of returning the axe back to the rack when Dimitri said from behind her, "The way you fought reminded me of the way you dance. You...taught me how to dance. Did you know that?"

She hesitated before answering. "Well—if I did I don't remember," Edelgard answered before sighing. "But Dimitri, I need you to understand that the girl you once knew—"

"Is gone. I know." Dimitri reached the weapon rack while he turned to look at her and it was then that even in the darkness Edelgard could see the magenta circles haloed around his eyes. Was he even sleeping?

"But I still wish we could..." Dimitri's shoulders slumped and he turned back to the rack, sliding a hand idly down a lance. "It feels as if you want nothing to do with me, Edelgard. As if you're humouring me for some ulterior purpose."

Edelgard opened and closed her mouth before looking away. "I assure you it isn't personal, Dimitri."

"So I'm right then."

"To...an extent. Yes."

Dimitri laughed softly to himself and finally chose a lance. "I see."

Silently, he passed by Edelgard and she swallowed thickly. She wanted to say something but...what? "I'm sorry that talking with you is frivolous now that I'm certain you aren't a suitable ally"?

So she held her tongue and turned to watch him. He was certainly different in his fighting than she was, not as light on his feet or fancy but admirably precise with his stabs and swings, and the power behind every one to sliced sharply through the air.

Prince status aside, it was clear Dimitri could've made a good ally due to his fighting talent alone. And of course if it was true they had been friends, it was a shame she had no time to—

It was what it was.

Edelgard turned to leave when she heard the unmistakable sound of a body hitting the floor.

Edelgard made a noise of surprise before spinning around to find Dimitri collapsed on the sandy ground. "Wha—Dimitri!"

Edelgard sped walking over to the prince's heaving form and crouched next to him as he struggled to open his eyes. "Dimitri?"

"Ngh...I'm fine," Dimitri grunted as his eyes fluttered open and he forced a smile. "Just a little...dizzy. It will pass."

"You're positively fatigued," Edelgard countered with a frown as she scanned his face. Now that she was closer, she could not only see the circles around his eyes but the excessive paleness of his face and the weariness dulling his ice blue eyes. Her thoughts were then transported to the scene of him buckling on the stairs earlier that day.

"When was the last you've slept?" Edelgard asked as Dimitri struggled to his knees and then used his lance as leverage to stand properly.

"I'm fine," Dimitri repeated the lie and sank back into a fighting stance on quaking muscles.

Edelgard scowled at that. Future enemy or not, she refused to just sit back and watch such self-destruction take place with her doing nothing about it.

"You're going to bed," Edelgard said, punctuating that statement with a firm tug on Dimitri's shoulder and effectively stopping him from slashing his lance again.

"No," Dimitri said stubbornly. "I mustn't rest."

"Look at you!" Edelgard cried in exasperation. "You can hardly stand!"

"I can't rest!" He repeated as he glared at her fiercely, and this time Edelgard could see something else in his eyes, not weariness or hope or sadness—but determination, and most prominently dread. Pure undiluted dread.

"Nightmares," Edelgard said quietly. Empathy pinched her brow and seeming confusion pinched Dimitri's.

"Nightmares?"

Edelgard quickly ironed out the thoughts morphing her face before answering. "Apologies for assuming but...this is what this is all about yes? You're afraid to go asleep. But if not nightmares, what?"

Dimitri's eyes fell to the ground before his eyes closed. "I..." he paused and let out a shuddering sigh.

"You don't need to answer, but you _do_ need to rest," Edelgard said firmly. "Come, I'm not taking no for an answer."

Dimitri opened his eyes and stared at Edelgard in what looked like contemplation before sighing and nodding. "Alright," he murmured, walking wearily towards the rack to return the lance.

As the two left the arena, Dimitri fell forward again, and would've fell to the ground if Edelgard hadn't caught him around the waist and forced him to lean against her. The extra weight caused her to stagger to the side before regaining herself.

Edelgard felt his arm tighten around her own waist in turn and he murmured a weary "thank you" into her hair.

While Dimitri was heavy and at least a foot taller than her, Edelgard didn't complain as she aided him to his assigned room. Instead of focusing on the strain on her body and the uncomfortable proximity to the prince's, she focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

When they reached the steps to the noble dorms, Dimitri's knees buckled on the last one and Edelgard let out a yelp as she braced herself to hit the hard wood.

Dimitri regained his footing however and instead of hitting the ground they crashed against the banister.

"I'm sorry," Dimitri muttered. "I'm troubling you—"

"Enough," Edelgard said sharper than she intended to. "We're almost there."

She gently nudged Dimitri back against her, his chest pressing tightly against her arm.

"Why?" Dimitri asked quietly as they continued the slow walk.

Edelgard furrowed her brow. "What do you mean, 'why?'"

"You told me you didn't care for me. And yet here you are insisting I get rest."

"Dimitri, I'm not the type of person to stand by and watch others suffer for needless reasons, no matter who they may be," Edelgard said firmly. "Now come, not sleeping isn't healthy."

She elbowed the door to Dimitri's bedroom open and gently eased him onto the bed. Dimitri let out a soft groan as he sank into the mattress, eyes fluttering closed and a relieved smile spreading across his face.

Quest done, Edelgard got up to leave when Dimitri murmured, "Thank you, Edelgard."

Edelgard glanced back at him once, opened her mouth to say something, then changed her mind and left.

**-o0o-**

"Welcome all of you to a fresh year of learning!" Archbishop Rhea said as she addressed the students within the Audience Chamber. There were three neat rows of Black Eagles, Blue Lions, and Golden Deer all standing to attention.

"Before announcements begin, I would like to announce your house leaders for this year."

Rhea's eyes locked with Edelgard's and gave her a pathetic mockery of a motherly smile that made her stomach churn. She had to fight fairly hard to stop herself from glaring back.

"Princess Edelgard von Hresvelg, you will lead the Black Eagles. Please, step forward."

From the corner of her eye, Edelgard saw a young orange haired young man—Ferdinand von Aiger—slump his shoulders and scowl as she forced a polite smile onto her face and stepped forward like Rhea asked.

Polite applause followed until she took her place in front of Rhea.

The Archbishop then turned to the group of Blue Lion students. "Prince Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. You will lead the Blue Lions house. Please, step forward."

Edelgard watched as Dimitri bowed lightly and said, "I am honoured," before walking forward as well. The weariness in his eyes was still there, but it had lessened greatly from the previous night and his movements were less jerky and stiff.

He caught Edelgard looking as he took his place next to her and gave her a warm thankful smile. Edelgard nodded in return.

"Claude von Riegan, you will lead the Golden Deer house. Please, step forward."

Both Edelgard and Dimitri watched the newcomer curiously as he strode forward and turned back around to bow dramatically to the applauding students. "Thank you, thank you!" He had dark ruffled hair, olive skin, green eyes, and a face that was admittedly easy on the eyes.

Edelgard couldn't help but notice that his smile was forced.

Rhea waited until Claude turned back around to continue. "I am hopeful that you three will lead your individual houses with humility, patience, and compassion as the future rulers you were born to be."

Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude all bowed simultaneously as Rhea turned to her advisor.

"Seteth. The announcements, please?"

Seteth nodded and said, "This weekend, we will be sending the the three of you on a camping trip with one of our professors. This will hopefully help strengthen your relationships and serve to help with alliances in the future. And to the other students, at the end of this month we will be having a mock battle to determine your skills. Do make sure to practice beforehand; I would _loath_ for things to turn out like last year. That will be all."

Rhea clasped her hands and bowed to each of the groups. "May the Goddess watch over you."

As the students began to disperse, Claude von Riegan stepped between Edelgard and Dimitri with a grin.

"So, buddy time with my fellow leaders! I gotta say, I'm kinda looking forward to this!"

Dimitri gave a smile. "I too am looking forward to getting to know you—Claude, is it?"

"That's the name, Your Princeliness!" Claude winked and then turned to Edelgard. "Looking forward to learning more about you too...Eldergods, right?"

_"Edelgard_. _"_ she said irritably with narrowed eyes.

"Ah! _Edelgard_ , got it! ANYWAY!" Claude stepped back and delivered a hard pat to both lord's shoulders causing them to flinch. "I've gotta make sure my Deer are in top shape to kick both your butts! 'Bye!"

Claude exited the Audience Chamber while whistling as Edelgard and Dimitri exchanged a glance.

"He is certainly interesting," Edelgard commented.

Dimitri's lips twitched upwards in amusement. "Something tells me that wasn't a compliment."

"It wasn't. And I see you took my advice from yesterday."

Dimitri's smile brightened and he nodded. "Indeed. I was worried at first but...for the first time in a long while my ghosts—"

He sucked in a sharp breath and quickly looked away.

Ghosts? Edelgard filed that away for further speculation.

"Well, in any case I'm glad you're feeling better," Edelgard said honestly. "Though do try to refrain from such destructive practices in the future."

"Well...I'm not entirely sure I can promise that," Dimitri admitted quietly. He turned back to her and bowed lightly. "But again, thank you."

Edelgard watched him stand back up and leave swiftly with an air of anxiety before exiting the Chamber as well. As she was leaving, she saw Tomas lingering outside and nodding towards multiple students who passed him by.

"Tomas," Dimitri greeted as he passed as well.

"Prince Dimitri," Tomas said with perceived warmness, though he eyed Dimitri's retreating form with a gleeful darkness in his gaze.

Edelgard frowned to herself. It seemed the "pleasing change of events" had something to do with Dimitri after all.

The question on Edelgard's mind was _why_?

Edelgard found her answer that weekend during the camping trip with her fellow house leaders and after almost dying by the hands of a bandit.

**-o0o-**

The camping expedition was led by the professor assigned to the Golden Deer house; Professor Edward and a few Knights of Seiros. He was a tall balding man with a quiver of arrows strapped to his back and a bow around his shoulders. He did nothing but hum and had been doing so for hours.

If Dimitri hadn't had been drilled extensively on manners from before he could speak, or didn't already have ghosts screaming at him on an almost daily basis, he would've lost his mind during the first half-hour and screamed at him to stop.

Speaking of ghosts, they hadn't bothered him last night. He had been so sacred, so certain that going to rest would anger them, so guilty the moment he woke up that morning when he realized that his renegade body had given in to sleep...only for them not to appear.

Was it because of Edelgard? His wondering eyes landed landed on the princess who was as carefully neutral as always. Snow white hair trailing behind her and eyes staring unyieldingly forward.

Could El make ghosts disappear?

Edelgard gave him a side ways glance. "You're staring."

"Hmm? O-oh!" Dimitri quickly looked away in embarrassment, feeling heat of shame burning his face. "I'm sorry I—"

"So!" Claude said, slowing his stride to walk beside Dimitri. "Since this is supposed to be a bonding exercise I say we learn more about each other!"

Dimitri mentally thanked Claude for the divine intervention before answering. "Certainly! All though I can't say I'm all too intriguing."

Claude batted a hand. "Nah, that's nonsense, Your Princeliness. Everyone's interesting in their own way."

"Well in that case...is there something in particular you'd like to know about me?"

"I do," Claude said, and Dimitri saw something in his verdant gaze that wasn't casual friendliness.

It made his skin prickle.

"Is there a reason in particular you favour the lance?" Claude asked, pushing a hanging tree branch out of the way.

"Yes, actually," Dimitri said, considerably relieved he wasn't being asked moral questions like Edelgard had.

"The royal family has had the Hero's Relic Areadbhar for generations and those blessed with the Crest of Blaiddyd have always been the ones to wield it."

Beside him, Dimitri heard Edelgard scoff but he couldn't quite figure out why.

"My Father wielded it," Dimitri continued, and he could see him now. Not his ghost, but his memory as he regally stood atop his horse with Areadbhar pointed forward.

He felt that familiar ache in his chest at the thought of Lambert and he lowered his gaze to collect himself before saying, "I too wanted to wield it so I chose to practice with the lance."

"You don't have Areadbhar with you," Claude pointed out as he gestured to the iron lance gripped in Dimitri's fist.

"Oh no, no. I'll get that after my coronation when I come of age this year."

Claude hummed thoughtfully before looking over Dimitri to address Edelgard. "How about you, Princess? Why do you like your axes?"

Edelgard turned to lock eyes with Claude and Dimitri felt the awkward sense that they were having an evaluating staring contest.

Goddess, why were those two so...intense?

"I used to train mostly with swords," Edelgard answered finally. "But as I got older, I found I preferred the strength and power behind the swing of an axe."

"An axe makes it harder for you to move though, doesn't it?" Claude asked.

"Perhaps for most people. But I posses the Minor Crest of Seiros—it enables me to stay nimble, even with an axe."

"Huh, interesting."

Dimitri furrowed his brow as he felt a pang of jealousy stab and worm it's way into his heart like a deadly parasite. Edelgard hadn't been nearly as conversational when _he_ had been speaking with her...

The blonde shook his head to rid himself of such foolish thoughts. It wasn't Claude's fault that Dimitri lacked charisma and had been asking the wrong questions and was all around just a—

Claude pressed a firm hand against Dimitri's chest and another against Edelgard's. The action and sudden contact startled Dimitri and he was about to question Claude's sudden behaviour when he noticed the archer's face.

The smile was gone now, replaced with a dark frown and his eyes were narrowed and sharp.

"What's the holdup, kid?" One of the knights asked from behind.

"We're being watched," Claude said forebodingly.

Dimitri sucked in a sharp breath as he too began looking around the forest, now suspicious of every bird tweet and rustling bush as he slowly sank into a fighting stance. Claude nocked an arrow in his bow and Edelgard hefted her axe over her shoulder.

The Knights of Seiros unsheathed their swords slowly and Professor Edward was still humming and walking forward.

"Professor Edward!" Dimitri whisper shouted but the man continued walking.

Dimitri attempted to run forward but was grabbed by Claude. "What are you doing?" He hissed.

"If this is an ambush—"

"Look, it's pointless to get yourself killed too. Just wait—"

"How can you say that?" Dimitri demanded as he pulled out of Claude's grasp and dashed forward to grab Edward by the shoulder.

Edward stopped humming abruptly and turned to face Dimitri with lazy brown eyes.

"Mr. Blaiddyd?" He drawled.

"Stand still," Dimitri whispered, "There might be—"

Dimitri heard before he saw the arrow piercing through the darkness of entwined trees. Quickly, Dimitri slammed Edward to the side and allowing the arrow to wiz passed them. It _thunked_ against the tree behind them.

And then men from every direction came pouring out of the forest's nooks and crannies, brandishing swords, axes, and bows. Shouts and war cries disrupted the bird song and filled the air with the language of bloodshed.

"Bandits!" One of the knights cried before he dove forward and plunged his sword into the nearest one. Dimitri spun off the now hyperventilating Edward in time to block a blow from a sword with his lance. With a growl he pushed back before stabbing the lance's blade between the man's eyes.

Dimitri outwardly winced but a darker, buried, part of him luxuriated in the blood that spilled onto his arm.

He pulled his lance out and ducked under an attack from an axe before stabbing precisely through the heart of his attacker.

It was only when Dimitri pulled his lance out of this one that he saw Edward running into the woods with horrified screams.

"Get him!" A bandit barked and a group of them moved to follow the retreating man.

"No!" Another man called out.

Dimitri turned to see a man standing atop a large rock. Messy brown hair and a beard adorned his face. As he spoke, Dimitri noticed he was missing teeth.

"He's not important, get the noble brats!"

The group immediately turned back towards Dimitri and he dropped his travelling bag and sucked in a slow breath of concentration. He truly wished he had been able to get more sleep.

With a battle cry, Dimitri lunged forward. He slashed the nearest bandit across his chest and side stepped another's sword swipe before slamming his elbow into a bandit that had tried to attack him from behind, hearing the sickening ( _delicious_ ) sound of crunching ribs.

Dimitri grunted as an axe clashed with his lance and he kicked the bandit hard in the thigh. The man crumpled to the ground with a scream of agony that was quickly silenced as Dimitri stabbed through his skull to end his misery.

With each man Dimitri stabbed, broke, and killed, more came to replace them. And with the ache in his muscles still there from his two nights of vigorous training and no sleep, he was at a huge disadvantage.

An arrow buried itself in Dimitri's calf and he staggered back against a nearby tree with a gasp of pain.

The archer responsible shot another, this time aimed at Dimitri's throat but Dimitri was quicker this time. He dropped into a roll and slashed at the archer's shins. He collapsed with a groan and fell atop Dimitri's lance.

Panting, Dimitri struggled to his feet and pulled his lance out with a sharp tug only to be tackled to the ground by yet another bandit.

Dimitri cried out in pain as his skull slammed against the hard earth, a cry that turned into scream as his assailant plunged his sword into Dimitri's side.

"Ha!" the bandit spat, spittle splattering across Dimitri's face. "Now I've—ARGH!"

Dimitri kneed him in the stomach and threw him off his body before he retrieved his fallen lance and stabbed the man in the throat.

And... _there were still more of them._

While in a crouched position, Dimitri once again blocked an axe from decapitating him but then had to push back to quickly roll out of the way of another from behind.

Unfortunately, the direction Dimitri rolled in had no ground.

The prince yelled out in surprise as he tumbled down a ridge. The world spun dizzyingly and his wounds tore open with each impact against the rocky sloped surface. After what felt like an eternity, he crashed unceremoniously to the clearing below.

He would've screamed again at the hard fall, but the air had been effectively slammed out of his lungs and his bleeding wounds felt as if they were leaking both blood and liquid strength.

Above him, he saw the bandits hesitating at the edge of the ridge. He figured it wouldn't take them long to decided to follow him.

With a pained grunt, Dimitri forced himself onto his stomach and crawled forward onto his knees and staggered onto his feet in search of his lance. He ignored the steady ripping of his shifting flesh, the blood soaking his uniform and painting the grass crimson, the sound of tumbling rocks as the bandits edged their way down the rocky ridge side.

There, he found it not too far from where he had landed and was about to torturously bend to pick it up when he heard a cry of agony.

Dimitri gasped, and stared wide eyed above the ridge where he had heard the blood chilling scream.

_El._

Those bastards hurt _El._

Slowly, slowly, a familiar burning rage replaced the chill of panic in his system.

**-o0o-**

Edelgard was in the middle of burying her axe in another man's chest when Claude ran off.

From the corner of her eye, she could see a flash of yellow as he sprinted into the woods like a woodland creature, followed by a group of yelling bandits.

"Claude!" Edelgard exclaimed indignantly whilst leaping back from an attack and taking her frustration out on a sword wielder's arm.

She ignored him even as he writhed and screamed on the floor and chased after the traitorous coward with a scowl. "Claude! Where you going? _Claude!"_

"What are you _doing!_ " Claude yelled over his shoulder.

"What are _you?!_ How can you abandon—!" She paused in her rant as Claude skidded to a stop and aimed his nocked bow at her.

Edelgard gasped in shock as the arrow narrowly missed her face, sliced through a few strands of hair, and embedded itself in the throat of a bandit that had been trailing them.

But he wasn't the only one, and more bandits began running after them.

"Hey, Princess! Cover for me!" Claude called as he dashed into the darkness.

Edelgard gritted her teeth angrily before turning back around to take down the bandits running towards her.

With a battle cry, she swung her axe into one man's side, twirled out of the way of a feeble attempt at retaliation and buried the blade into another's throat as she did so.

"Damn you!" The bandit with the wounded side growled as he lunged forward with yet another pathetic swing. Edelgard jumped over it and in midair, gave a swing of her own toward the shocked man's head.

As she landed, she pulled her axe out of the corpse's head and dashed behind a tree. It made a quick wooden shield for the two arrows intended for her before she was charging forwards again.

One by one, unfortunate bandits fell to her twirling axe until the grass beneath her feet was decorated in limp bodies and sticky blood. She looked down at her handiwork, body shaking involuntarily and a lump forming in her throat.

Slowly, Edelgard looked at the red stained hand not holding her axe. This was nothing compared to the lives that would be lost in the future.

_'No more doubts.'_ she reminded herself as she took a deep breath and swallowed the lump finally.

They snapped open when she heard a deep roar pierce through the momentary silence. Edelgard spun around just in time to block a hard hitting attack from another bandit, however the force of his blow and his running momentum sent her flying backwards onto the bloody grass with a grunt and sending her axe twirling into the bushes.

Edelgard quickly scrambled to her feet and frowned in confusion as she watched the man look around instead of attempting to attack her again.

"Where's the—"

Edelgard unsheathed her dagger and lunged forward, taking advantage of his distraction—he was faster, swinging his axe towards her chest. Eyes widened in shock, Edelgard skidded through the wet ground and bent back underneath the swing.

She got up and spun in an attempt to stab his neck but the bandit's axe met her dagger. Vibrations trembled through Edelgard's bones but she didn't relinquish her grip on her weapon. Instead she jumped back and blocked another attack from him.

Edelgard was stuck on the offensive. With nothing but a dagger and her wits keeping her alive at this point. The tides then pushed further to the man's favour as she tripped backwards on a knight corpse with an embarrassing shriek of surprise.

She crashed against a tree and then twisted her body to avoid getting sliced by the man's axe.

' _Get it together.'_ she told herself fiercely before she lunged forward once again.

The man caught her wrist just centimetres before the dagger could stab out his eye. Edelgard would've screamed in frustration, but instead she let out a loud scream of agony as the bandit kneed Edelgard's elbow joint with enough brute force to break it.

Still, Edelgard fought the urge to collapse in anguish and instead gripped his wrist and pulled him forwards with the very same broken arm.

She wanted to faint at the pain, but remained firm as his eye became impaled from her dagger.

The bandit screamed in rage and pain before tossing Edelgard like a rag doll to the ground.

Edelgard's breath was ragged, her vision was spotted with black dots, and her right arm was in absolute misery. But she could not loose consciousness—not here.

"I was told not to kill you..." the man growled. Blood seeped from between his fingers and he staggered towards Edelgard with murder in his remaining eye. "But Kostas don't have to find out..."

Edelgard gave the man the most defiant glare she could muster through pain blinded eyes as she struggled to her feet with one arm and exchanged the dagger to her left hand.

She knew she probably wouldn't win. She also knew she'd die trying anyway.

The man lifted an axe, prepared to swing and Edelgard lifted her dagger—

An almost animalistic roar tore through the dawn and from behind the bushes, Dimitri charged through. Lance glittering in the dying moonlight, teeth bared, eyes burning with a flammable darkness Edelgard remembered seeing on their first conversation together...

The Crest of Blaiddyd flashed blue upon the back of Dimitri's hand as he swung his lance in a wide arc and slashed clean through the man's torso as if it were made of butter.

Edelgard gasped in baffled horror as the two halves of the bandit fell to the grass and his gushing blood painted her and Dimitri bright red.

**-o0-**

Somewhere nearby, a man watched the scene with a smile before turning to his companion. "I told you he'd make a lovely weapon."

**-o0o-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UM. Yeah I’m sorry, I did NOT mean for things to get so bloody but believe me when I say that feral Dimitri simply cannot be controlled ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> I’m trying to give each Crest a unique ability in this story based on the dragon the powers originate from and the character’s personality. Thus, the Crest of Seiros shall be also known as the Crest of Elegance :3 (I also wanted El’s Crest benefits to be opposite to Dimitri’s). I was originally going to make it ice magic because Dragon Rhea Boss attacks you with ice/snow based spells and the White Beasts spit blue fire things at you. 
> 
> But nah. Edie ain’t no dragon. 
> 
> Anyway, I very much wanted to keep the format of Edelgard and Dimitri switching POVs between chapter breaks but every time I switched to Dimitri’s POV the chapter jogged in place and the pacing was ruined except for the near ending scene. So a Edelgard POV central chapter this time! 
> 
> All of the Dimitri scenes I ended up cutting will probably end up in a later chapter, so don’t worry you most likely will not be missing anything. 
> 
> I also finally figured out how to add bold and italics without my laptop! Woo! Also the paragraphs are weirdly spaced here, sorry. 
> 
> Have a lovely Christmas, and hopefully I’ll have another chapter this Friday!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	4. The Mercenary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! Happy New Year my friends! *blows kisses*
> 
> Hope you’re enjoying 2020 so far! It’s off to really poor start music wise with Justin Bieber’s god-awful single but I’m PRAYING that the rest of this year’s music will be good. 
> 
> Anyway hope you enjoy!

The whole early morning had been a long nauseating blur.

After the second Dimitri heard Edelgard in danger, his vision had fogged like a melting painting—all disfigured images and muddled hues. The only thing he could rely on for information were his other senses.

Dimitri remembered his metal boots crushing plants and wildlife and the rush of rage and adrenaline blinding him from his weeping wounds. He remembered screams of agony entering his ears like a cruel symphony of violence as he plowed mercilessly through men to get to Her. His Crest sending shockwaves through his blood as he unconsciously called upon its full might and the way he had hauled himself back over the ridge faster than he had tumbled down.

And oh, even though he tried to deny it, it was _thrilling._ So very thrilling to take his rage on the pathetic low-lives that dared call themselves human, that dared to hurt El.

Until he remembered he had an audience.

Though quiet and nearly silent, a small gasp had tugged his rational mind from the brink of drowning and taped the mask of a prince back over his face.

Dimitri spun around. Edelgard’s face was glossed with blood and for once there was no mask in place. She was clutching her limp right arm, her eyes were blown wide, and her lips were parted. What was she thinking? Was she horrified? Disgusted? Scared?

All of the above would be fair at this point.

“E-Edelgard,” Dimitri stammered out. “I—“ he swallowed and licked his lips, cringing as he felt the texture of dirt and blood enter his mouth. “Are you alright?”

Edelgard hadn’t answered or moved. Still seeing Dimitri’s atrocious behaviour in her mind’s eye certainly.

If Dimitri had any hope they could be friends again, he was positive he had now completely squandered it.

Dimitri looked away from her as shame drowned his insides. Again. He had slipped _again_ in front of Edelgard for the second time the very _blasted_ week! Why was he like this? Why couldn’t he be—?

The sound of rustling leaves and voices snapped the royals out of their mini trances. Dimitri forced himself to stand up properly and crouched into a fighting stance while Edelgard pointed her dagger threateningly towards the quivering foliage.

It was _The_ Dagger, and despite the situation, Dimitri smiled softly at the familiar dangerously glittering metal.

Their stances loosened up however, when the familiar voice of Claude could be heard.

“...capable fighter! Haven’t seen someone wield a sword the way you do.”

This comment was met with zero response and Dimitri wondered momentarily if Claude was talking to himself before he emerged from the thicket of trees with a navy haired maiden in tow.

She wore the strangest armour Dimitri had ever seen; perhaps the shortest leather shorts known to man covered patterned tights and the metal breastplate that covered her chest left her midriff proudly exposed to both the elements and dangerous weapons.

Then there were her eyes. Dimitri didn’t think it was possible, but this young woman had a gaze so cold and perfectly guarded that it made Edelgard’s evaluating looks appear sheer and warm

in comparison.

_‘Or maybe,’_ his mind supplied, ‘ _Maybe she isn’t guarding a single emotion.’_

Maybe there were simply none at all.

Claude whistled, taking in both Edelgard’s and Dimitri’s appearances as a man with dirty blonde hair and a multitude of men and woman stepped forward. “Yeesh, you two took a beating,”

“No thanks to you,” Edelgard snapped as she sheathed her dagger. “It’s nice to know I can’t rely on you from here on out.”

“Oh, come on! Give me a bit of credit,” Claude jabbed a thumb at the entourage behind him. “I found these mercenaries in a nearby village and they forced those bandits to retreat.”

Dimitri forced a smile onto his face and dipped into a painful bow. He tried his hardest not to let his discomfort show as he said, “Thank you ever so much for your aide.”

“Don’t mention it kid,” the dirty blond haired man responded as Dimitri stood once more. The man’s amber eyes trailed over both his and Edelgard’s decrepit forms before he continued with, “But I have to agree with your friend; you two need help with those wounds.”

**-o0o-**

The mercenary leader—Jeralt— and his crew helped as much as they could with Dimitri and Edelgard’s wounds before escorting them back to the Monastery after the three lords had explained the situation.

The young woman—Byleth—stared at her surroundings with wide blank eyes while Claude tried and failed to start a conversation with her. Edelgard was ahead of the group and Dimitri was grateful for this; he was certain he couldn’t look her in the eyes at the moment.

Or ever.

Goddess, he should have listened to his instincts! They were— _he_ was so different now, of course he couldn’t do something as simple as salvage a relationship—

“Dimitri.”

Dimitri cried out in surprise before flushing in embarrassment. He hadn’t realized that Edelgard had slowed her stride to walk by his side.

“Ah, Edelgard! How is your arm?” Dimitri said, eyes falling to Edelgard’s right arm within its makeshift sling.

“It will be fine once Professor Manuela looks at it,” Edelgard said. “And your wounds?”

“Not too painful, I’ve certainly had worse.” Dimitri responded. His pant leg had been pushed up to allow room for the makeshift bandage on his leg and there was another underneath his shirt. He had a limp and the wound on his side stung, but the bleeding had stopped so there was no more danger.

The silence that followed was enough for the shame to return in full force and Dimitri’s eyes found the dirt path before them as he inhaled shakily. “Edelgard. About...what I—the part of me you saw—“

“I would say I was baffled by what I saw,” Edelgard cut in, that now very familiar evaluating side ways glance searching his face. “Except you’ve showed this side of yourself to me before.”

Dimitri swallowed thickly, shame burned hot in his chest and seemed to dry out all the water in his system.

“Right. I-I recall.”

“Even so, I was...surprised by the severity of the contrast.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” Dimitri sighed. “Ever since—for the longest while I had this _sickness_ this horrible other self.” He chuckled bitterly and shook his head. “One of my oldest friends even hates me because of it, and I truly cannot blame him. In his words, I am nothing more but a bloodthirsty boar and...he is correct.”

Dimitri looked up at Edelgard again before murmuring, “And after today, if you were to hate me as well, Edelgard I would not blame you either.”

Edelgard frowned. “Is that what you expect me to do?”

Dimitri’s eyes widened and he opened and closed his mouth a few times before spluttering, “But—of course! I’m a _monster_ Edelgard! A bloodthirsty—!”

“I’ve seen, spoken, and dealt with monsters, Dimitri,” Edelgard answered. “Cleaving a bandit in two hardly makes you one of them.”

“I...don’t understand. Why aren’t you absolutely repulsed by me?” Dimitri whispered in a mixture of awe, shock and disbelief.

Edelgard‘s gaze darkened and Dimitri was certain she would say something along the lines of, “Thank you for reminding me! Well, you may leave my sight now.”

Instead she quietly said, “I know better than anyone that bloodied hands are inevitable in a cruel world like this. Those bandits were out for blood; you did what needed to be done.”

Dimitri blinked slowly and a smile brightened his face as a breeze of relief cooled his previously heat shamed insides. “Oh,” he breathed. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear you say that.”

“Besides,” Edelgard pointed out as the shadows in her eyes cleared with a few quick blinks. “Your actions saved my life.”

Dimitri smiled faded as he admitted, “I heard you scream. I was scared they’d killed you.”

“You sliced a man in half for my sake? Prince Dimitri I’m oddly flattered!”

Dimitri’s lips twitched into small grin. “Was that playfulness I hear? Princess Edelgard I’m pleasantly surprised!”

Edelgard let out an amused half chuckle. “Yes well, I’m not _always_ a stick in the mud.”

“I don’t recall saying you were.”

“Come now, you thought it anyway. Everyone does.”

It was Dimitri’s turn to let out a chuckle, and for a moment they were friends. Just like before. And Dimitri could tell Edelgard felt it too, because she gave him a smile, it was a simple quirk of her rosy lips and a lukewarm glow in her violet orbs, but it spoke a million words.

Though just as quickly as it showed it up, her smile faded and the glow in her eyes dispersed like the death of a candle’s flame. And so badly did Dimitri want to bring it back, to grab that little glimmer of El and keep her with him.

“Alright here we are,” Jeralt announced as the group stopped with the Monastery looming in view like large stony giant. “This is where we’ll be leaving you.”

“Oh, you won’t be joining us, Captain?” Dimitri asked.

The prince could have sworn he saw the man wince as his amber eyes flickered to the Monastery. “Afraid not, kid.”

“Hey come on! At least share a meal with us!” Claude insisted. “You guys must be starving.”

Byleth’s eyes widened. “Food?”

“Aye! She speaks!” Claude cheered as Jeralt turned his conflicted gaze to Byleth, then the Monastery, then Byleth again.

“Look...I don’t think—“

“Captain Jeralt?!”

All eyes locked on the Seiros knight who was standing stunned in front of them on the path. “It _is_ you! Man, wait ‘till Alois hears this!”

Jeralt let out a long stream of swear words under his breath as the knight stepped forward and noticed the students.

“Your Highnesses? Goddess! You need to be checked into the infirmary right away!”

“Yeah, you do that,” Jeralt said, stepping backwards. “I’m going to—“

“Father, can’t we have breakfast first?” Byleth questioned, held tilted in a way that made it sound like a curious query and not a request.

“ _Not now, sweetie,”_ Jeralt said through gritted teeth. It made Dimitri curious; why was he seemingly so fearful of the Knights of Seiros? Judging by the looks on Edelgard’s and Claude’s faces, they were curious as well.

“Wow! You have a kid too! Alois is going to love this!” The knight looked over his shoulder and called, “Guys, come here! Patrol just got interesting!”

If men could combust out of plain exasperation, Dimitri felt that Jeralt certainly would have done just that.

**-o0o-**

“There we go!” Manuela had said after healing Edelgard’s arm. “All better, but I do suggest you and the prince stay in bed for at least an hour.”

Thanks to those slithering bastards, Edelgard was forced to disobey.

Even with the healing magic, her right arm was mildly sore and frustratingly stiff. Rest would’ve been truly beneficial but alas, it was what it was.

With a huff of both indignation and exertion, Edelgard pulled the large trunk containing her armour from out underneath her bed. Why did Arundel insist on frivolous meetings anyhow? He had no problem sending her notes or talking through Tomas so why—?

There was a knock on her door and Edelgard gasped, shoving the chest back underneath the bed. She stood up and smoothed her uniform before calling, “Yes?”

“Edelgard? It’s me,” Dimitri said hesitantly. There was a pause before he continued with, “Do you like tea?”

“Seriously? ‘Do you like tea’?” Someone whisper-shouted, although Edelgard didn’t know who.

“Shut up, Sylvain!” Dimitri hissed back before in a louder voice he said, “Do you?”

Edelgard rose an eyebrow through she knew he couldn’t see it. “Are you asking me out for tea, Dimitri?”

“I...uh, yes? I-if that’s okay with you?”

“I’ll have to get back to you on that. I’m afraid at the moment I’m a bit...” Edelgard glanced at the armour chest only half hidden and sighed. “...preoccupied.”

“Oh! Yes, of course! I’m just going to—erm. Farewell!”

Edelgard heard one pair of hurried footsteps and another more casual pair before the other voice from before snickered and said, “Real smooth, Your Highness.”

“I told you, I’m no good with woman! Blast, now I’m going to upset Professor Manuela for no reason!”

Edelgard opened the door a crack to watch their retreating forms and allowed the second amused smile of the day to grace her lips.

**-o0o-**

“You promised me an explanation,” Edelgard said firmly from within her Flame Emperor armour. Her arms were crossed and her eyes were narrowed within the mask that covered her face.

In front of her, Arundel chuckled. A smirk decorated his face and his violet eyes glowed maliciously in the newborn sun. “Straight to the point. No greetings?

“I haven’t the time nor the desire to give you any greetings,” Edelgard snapped. “I must return to the Monastery soon before my absence is felt. Tomas said you wanted to give me answers, and I would like to hear them.”

“Polite as always, I see,” Arundel drawled as he casually inspected his fingernails. “It concerns the Blaiddyd boy. But you’re smart, I’m sure you’ve come to that conclusion already.”

Inexplicably, Edelgard felt a twinge of fear of hearing the possibility of Dimitri being ingrained into this monster’s plans. What made my odder was that previously the thought hadn’t done such a thing. She answered casually however. “Indeed.”

“I will have to give you credit though; we never would’ve thought he could be a useful asset had you not attempted to evaluate him.”

“If you’ve heard my evaluations than you would be aware that I don’t find him suitable.”

“That’s because you’re looking for his benefits as an equal,” Arundel said. “ _We_ however, see his benefits as a useful weapon after we saw the rage spike from his voice and his fascinatingly intense training regime. We sent bandits to check his fighting capabilities and are more than pleased.”

Well, that explained two things but...Dimitri? A weapon?

“How exactly would this work?” Edelgard questioned.

Arundel’s grin broadened and a small part of Edelgard immediately regretted asking.

“That is where you come in. The two of you are friends, no?”

“Friends? No, I would say acquaintances.”

Arundel rose two surprised eyebrows. “ _Just_ acquaintances?” He asked incredulously.

The way in which he asked the question peaked Edelgard’s suspicion. “Is that a problem?”

“No, no. It’s just the way he ran feral to your aid implies otherwise.”

Edelgard was silent before responding with, “He claims that we had a past friendship, I don’t remember such a thing however. Perhaps his feelings towards me are stronger than mine towards him for that reason.”

Arundel’s grin broadened and he chuckled as if laughing at a private joke and Edelgard frowned. “Why the laughter?”

“Ah, I suppose it can’t be helped with all he’s gone through. The boy is adorably delusional.”

Edelgard only let out a hum in response. Not that it truly mattered if they met or not anyway.

“No matter,” Arundel said, mirroring Edelgard’s thoughts. “The point remains that he truly cares for you; this can be used to our advantage I believe in steering him to become a helpful tool against Seiros.”

“You want me to get close to him? Is that it?” Edelgard asked.

“Yes. Plant seeds, use his rage, and I’m sure he could serve us well.”

**-o0o-**

The mercenaries had not only stayed beyond breakfast, but according to a highly amused Manuela, after she had officially allowed Dimitri to leave, the young Byleth would be replacing Professor Edward.

Dimitri wasn’t entirely sure how to take that news. On one hand, Claude’s praise and what little he had seen of Byleth practicing showed she was rather capable when it came to fighting.

However, he would be lying if he said she didn’t scare him. Byleth didn’t smile, frown, laugh or... _anything_. It was off putting. How could someone _not_ have emotions?

“What do you all think?” Dimitri asked his classmates later that day as they lounged in the Blue Lions classroom. “About the mercenary Byleth, I mean.”

“Well, she’s a beauty,” Sylvain supplied predictably from where he stood leaning against the doorway. Felix and Ingrid simultaneously rolled their eyes.

“It’s a bit too early to tell, no?” Ashe asked as he paused in stringing his bow. “I mean I only saw her.”

“I’m with Ashe,” Ingrid agreed. “We have to know more about her first before judging.”

Felix scoffed and gave Ingrid a sideways glance. “You know, that’s rich coming from you.”

Ingrid clenched her jaw and glared but otherwise said nothing.

“It was partially due to her actions that you are safe,” Dedue stated. “While I am grateful, her trustworthiness remains to be seen.”

“She doesn’t seem bad,” Annette chirped. “I bet if we get to know her well we could really end up liking her!”

“She’s a wee bit scary though,” Mercedes mused with a frown. “I know it’s wrong to judge but I’ve never seen her smile, not once!”

“What about you, Felix?” Dimitri asked. “We haven’t heard your input.”

Felix huffed. “There isn’t enough words in the dictionary that could properly describe how much I don’t care.”

“A shame. Hypothetically speaking, what if I taught you?”

All heads snapped towards the doorway where Byleth stood blinking slowly. Sylvain scrambled away from the doorframe with a surprised swear and crashed into a desk.

“A-apologies, Byleth!” Dimitri said quickly as he dipped into a bow. “We didn’t mean to—“

Byleth shrugged nonchalantly “I’m used to it.”

“But still, it was rude of us to speak behind your back,” Dimitri insisted.

Byleth simply shrugged again before entering the classroom. Her dark blue eyes darted from student to student and only Felix and Dedue looked unaffected by it.

She then turned back to Dimitri. “Tell me the best qualities of your Lions.”

Felix scowled. “Why are you letting the boar speak for us?” He demanded. Byleth didn’t even spare him a glance as she waited for Dimitri to answer.

Dimitri cleared his throat and stood up straighter. “Well, by my side is Dedue. A good-natured young man. Over there is Ingrid, the most chivalrous woman you’ll ever meet. Felix may seem prickly around the edges but he truly cares for the people he lets get close. Sylvain is reliable and loyal, Ashe is wonderfully earnest, Annett is a delight to be around and Mercedes is a kind soul.”

When Dimitri was finished, Ashe, Annette, Ingrid and Mercedes flushed at the praise while Dedue smiled lightly and Sylvain said, “Aw, we love you too, Your Highness.” Felix merely harrumphed but said nothing otherwise.

“And yourself?” Byleth questioned, gaze unwaveringly locked with Dimitri’s.

“Myself?” Dimitri asked with a frown. “Well...”

_‘I’m a monster,’_ his mind supplied. But just as quickly Edelgard’s words followed. _“I’ve seen, spoken, and dealt with monsters, Dimitri, cleaving a bandit in two hardly makes you one of them.”_

Dimitri smiled sadly to himself because as much as the words warmed his heart, he knew it wasn’t true. Edelgard hadn’t seen him two years ago, Edelgard didn’t see his ghosts.

Edelgard was wrong.

“Byleth I’m...afraid there’s not much to me,” Dimitri answered finally. That was also wrong, but she didn’t need to know that.

Byleth watched him for a few seconds longer before nodding. “Thank you,” she said as she finally left the classroom.

Dimitri felt he could finally breathe properly.

It was a day later that Garreg Mach Monastery welcomed Professor Byleth, teacher of the Golden Deer house.

**-o0o-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I’m curious. Would you guys prefer smaller chapters a bit like chapter one or longer charters like chapter three? Longer chapters would take longer but obviously give more content though shorter ones would be easier to send out but it’d take longer to progress the plot along. Anywho, what do you guys think?
> 
> Well, I know I said it last time but I mean it this time; I’m going to post a new chapter Friday! 
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	5. The Dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: So, Wednesday morning I accidentally deleted chapter four and had to repost it, and all the comments on said chapter where permanently deleted. So if you left a comment before then and I didn’t reply, that would be why, lol. 
> 
> While they can no longer be seen on the site, I still have your kind words in my inbox and the response from the last chapter was so heart warming! We’re officially at 104 kudos and over 1.6k hits and I couldn’t be happier! Thank you all so, so much!
> 
> Anyway, I’m going to try post every Friday, that should give me enough time to write longer chapters!
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Edelgard didn’t know what Claude was so smug about.

He hadn’t exactly run around the Monastery screaming in everyone’s ear, “The new Mercenary is my teacher!” But with the large grin on his face, the random winks he gave her and Dimitri, and the noticeable bounce in his step, he might as well have.

The new Professor Byleth was an interesting person who was clearly talented in her field. However, the same could be said about virtually all the Professors in the Monastery. Perhaps Claude had seen something else in her when she had fought off those bandits before.

If only one battle made Byleth fascinating, then Edelgard mildly wished she could’ve seen it. Actually, there was a lot of things she’d rather be doing at the moment.

“In the middle of the night! Ran away!” Professor Manuela wailed, smacking the teaching desk with her palm. “No note, no warning, _gone_!”

Manuela paused to take a long gulp from her flask before slamming it down, alcohol sloshing out and darkening the wood of the table. “And, and, and, you know the funny thing?! He gave me an engagement ring the night before! How in the Goddess’s name could you leave a beautiful woman like me _after_ pledging your life to her?!”

Edelgard did her best to keep the politely interested smile on her face and stop the sporadic twitching of her eyebrow, but it was difficult when she was hearing a tipsy woman sob about her failed love lives instead of learning.

“And don’t get me _started_ on...!”

Edelgard tuned Manuela out as she surveyed the classroom to see how her fellow Eagles were holding up.

Beside her, Hubert wasn’t even trying to hide his disdain over this blatant waste of time. The lime green eye not obscured by his hair was narrowed in irritation and he let out a few scoffs every now and again.

Both Ferdinand and Caspar were positively uncomfortable if Caspar’s constant squirming in his seat and Ferdinand’s insistent tugging at his clothes and scratching at his neck was anything to go by.

Petra looked understandably confused, blinking owlishly at Manuela as she continued to rant, while Lindhart slept shamelessly with his cheek pressed to his desk and Bernadetta...

Edelgard frowned and looked around the room. Well, Bernadetta appeared to be hiding in her room again but it was perhaps for the best at this time.

The only person who looked even mildly interested in the whole ordeal was Dorothea, who’s brows were furrowed in clear sympathy and perhaps understanding.

“...I tell you when I see him again—!”

The bell rang, cutting Manuela off as everyone with the exception of Lindhart and Dorothea, eagerly stood up and collected their supplies.

Manuela blinked slowly as if coming out of a daze before wiping the dripping mascara from her face. “Oh. Is class done already? I suppose I should give you some homework,” she mumbled as she tapped her flask with a painted fingernail in contemplation. “Oh! How about a five foot SA on the pros and cons of relationships? Yes, Edelgard?”

“Professor,” Edelgard said as she lowered her raised hand. “With all due respect, what does this have to do with combat?”

“Dearest Edelgard,” Manuela said seriously as she strode forward to lay a hand atop Edelgard’s head. “Love is a battle, and only the well equipped can survive it. Now shoo! I look like a mess.”

Manuela made a shooing motion before grabbing her flask again and downing the entirety of it in three gulps.

“A colossal waste of time,” Hubert stated with a scoff as the two exited the Black Eagles classroom and made their way to the Dining Hall for lunch.

Edelgard sighed. “I am inclined to agree with you. Hopefully next class she’ll be sober enough to—“ she paused as a group of young orphans cut through her path running towards the Training Grounds.

“Come on, hurry!” One of the boys exclaimed enthusiastically as he and his little friends ran towards the large open doors where other students and orphans watched excitedly.

Curious, Edelgard strode forward into the crowd and pushed between two giddily giggling girls to see what all the commotion was about.

In a blur of blue and silver, Dimitri rolled and grabbed a fallen training lance from the sand and used it to block an attack from one of his Blue Lions—The man of Duscur. He then quickly pushed back in time to duck a sword swipe from his other classmate—one Edelgard wasn’t acquainted with, but she recognized the familiar sharp gold eyes and dark hair from the feast.

Dimitri jumped back swiftly after ducking to charge forward in retaliation, but before lance and sword could meet, the Duscur man aimed his axe at the prince’s legs. He gasped in surprise and quickly skidded and spun to the side in time to dodge.

The fight continued with Dimitri on the defence, blocking and dodging both powerful blows and elegant strikes while the crowd of students cheered.

After about a minute, the three men parted and assessed one another. And while Dimitri was panting heavily, he was also smiling with entertainment dancing in his eyes. So different from the self-pitying and awkward boy Edelgard had come to vaguely know.

In that moment of pause, Dimitri’s eyes locked with hers. Surprise momentarily flashed across his features before a mischievous half-smile replaced it.

_“Watch this,”_ Edelgard interpreted it said right before The Duscur man charged with a war cry.

Dimitri charged forward as well and their wooden weapons clashed in a way that echoed across the grounds. Swiftly, Dimitri leapt back and charged again with a force that made his axe wielding opponent stagger.

Before Dimitri could knock him down however, the raven haired man charged forward as well, sword cutting a clean arc through the air that would’ve hurt badly had Dimitri not dodged out the way in time.

He landed directly under a beam of afternoon sun that caused his blonde hair to gleam like liquid gold and the beads of sweat that left his face and peppered the air to glitter like jewels as he tossed his head back, smug smile still in place. His chest heaved and strained against the restraints of his uniform and even beneath the snug dark cloth she could see the muscles in his arms bulge and shift as he blocked another blow.

Edelgard’s mouth had gone inexplicably dry.

Gritting his teeth against the axe and the heavy weight behind it, Dimitri jumped back once more but the axe wielder was not about to let him have a breather.

Unfortunately for him, Dimitri had seemed to predict this. He side stepped and pivoted so that he was behind his assailant before jabbing the man with a quick sharp blow.

Paired with the attack and his momentum, the Duscur man staggered forward to the ground with a grunt. Dimitri’s gaze swiftly darted to the swordsman who was dashing forward again, kicking up sand as he went.

Dimitri charged towards him as well, before dramatically twirling and throwing his lance with such force it blurred as it sliced through the air.

An echo of awed gasps followed this before the blunt edged weapon hit its surprised mark—the swordsman’s chest. He too hit the ground with a thud and a grunt.

The lone sound of the prince’s panting only lasted a moment before cheers and claps erupted throughout the crowd. Dimitri turned and bowed politely before he called out a happy, “Thank you!”

Edelgard smiled and clapped lightly as well while Dimitri helped the Duscur man to his feet with a quick apology. The swordsman had already gotten up and was grumbling under his breath as he swiped sand from his air.

“Well played,” Edelgard complimented as the crowd dispersed and Dimitri with his friend in tow walked to the Training Ground’s doors.

Dimitri beamed, eyes gleaming like sun kissed ice as he swiped beads of sweat from his forehead. “I’m glad I managed to entertain you! Now, I don’t believe I introduced you to my friend, Dedue.”

The Duscur man nodded politely towards Edelgard. “A pleasure to meet you. His Highness sings your praises much.”

“D-Dedue!” Dimitri spluttered, his face already flushed pink from exertion now glowed a cherry red that rivalled Edelgard’s tights.

“Apologies. Did you not want me to reveal that information?”

Edelgard covered an amused giggle with her gloved palm at the way Dimitri stared bashfully at the ground like a scolded puppy.

“You just continue to flatter me, Dimitri,” Edelgard teased lightly.

Dimitri was about to respond when the little boy from before ran in front of Edelgard’s path once again and jumped up and down enthusiastically. “That was fantastic!” He cried.

A fond smile warmed Dimitri’s face as he crouched to the boy’s level and ruffled his hair. “I’m glad you enjoyed.”

“You have to teach me!” The boy exclaimed and Dimitri paused at this. “Teach you?”

“Uh-huh,” The boy nodded. “And all my friends too! We wanna be just like you when we grow up!”

“If you knew what The Boar truly was you wouldn’t be saying such foolish things,”

Dimitri flinched as both Dedue and Edelgard glanced up to see the previously fallen swordsman walking towards them with a scowl.

Dedue glared angrily back and stood just in front Felix with agitation burning in his eyes. The orphan child shifted his eyes from one person to the other in confusion of the situation.

“Do not insult His Highness,” Dedue practically snarled.

“Hmph. Spoken like a true _pet_.”

“Dedue, Felix, enough,” Dimitri said wearily as he stood, eyes flickering between the two. “Not now, please?”

“What’s the matter, Boar Prince?” The swordsman—Felix—said as he shifted his sharp gaze and taunting smirk to Dimitri. “Don’t want your new friend to know what a beast you really are?”

Edelgard frowned as she recalled Dimitri’s words from the day before. How a friend of his supposedly hated him for his darker side.

Dedue said, “I am warning you, Fraldarius; stop embarrassing His Highness in front of the Princess _or else_.”

“Or else what, Dog? You’ll beat me black and blue? Bet that’s exactly what your savage master wants.”

“Dedue, it’s alright,” Dimitri said firmly, placing a hand on his friend’s tense shoulders. Edelgard could see all the delight and happiness that had accumulated from his sparring session drain from Dimitri’s face and body until only the self-pitying boy she recognized returned.

Well. A wonderful _friend_ this Felix fellow was!

“I’m sorry, but what exactly gives you the right to be so hateful?” Edelgard demanded as she stepped forward and sent a withering glare directed into Felix’s pupils.

“Edelgard, please—“ Dimitri tried but Edelgard held up a hand to silence him before continuing. “From the few seconds I’ve seen of you, you hardly seem qualified to pout about the short-comings of others when you yourself lack simple decency.”

Felix narrowed his eyes. “You’re only saying that because you haven’t seen him, the _true_ him.”

“And what if I told you I had?” Edelgard said. “And what if I told you I simply accepted it because my life doesn’t revolve around tauntingly reminding someone of a part of themselves they aren’t proud of?”

Felix scoffed and turned turned away from Edelgard to sneer at Dimitri again. “Well look at this. Another pathetic dog to kiss your—“

Felix was cut off swiftly and efficiently as Edelgard slapped him sharply across the face with enough force to colour his cheek red and snap his head to the side.

“Refrain from calling me that again,” she said cooly, as she straightened her glove. “And refrain from calling Dimitri an animal in my presence.”

With that she turned on her heel, leaving the surprised three young men and little boy staring after her with wide eyes.

Edelgard realized Hubert was waiting for her when she neared the outside of the Black Eagles classroom. “Hubert,” she said in mild surprise. “You didn’t go to lunch?”

“I was waiting for you, of course,” Hubert responded as the two made their way to the Hall. “I had no interest in leaving without you or watching the prince fight—although I’m pleased to say I saw you slap someone across the face. I didn’t hear the conversation but I’m going to assume the boy deserved it.”

Edelgard sighed heavily, clenching and unclenching her fists. “He did. People like Felix Fraldarius only see in black and white and it’s wrong; a person is more than their worst selves and vice versa—more personally he referred both me and Dimitri to animals.”

“You added the prince to your personal reasons for attacking him,” Hubert observed.

Edelgard paused in her steps to direct her frown to her retainer. “Just what are you insinuating, Hubert?”

“Do you care for him?”

The question was straightforward and simple, and its answer should have been an equally simple one; a “yes” or a “no”. But Edelgard found she didn’t have one. Putting alleged past friendships aside, the two had only known one another for a little over a week after all.

Instead she said, “Should I ask you the same? Your enjoyment of that little scene seemed rather personal as well.”

Hubert chuckled and shook her head. “Not at all, Lady Edelgard. It was entertaining to watch, that is all.”

The two continued walking in silence before Edelgard spoke once more.

“It was a shame you didn’t watch Dimitri sparring though, he’s talented,” She said. “So much so that... _they_ believe he will make a useful asset.”

Hubert’s steps faltered for a mere moment before he continued onwards and entered the building proper. “Why him specifically? There are countless talented fighters in this Monastery.”

Edelgard regretted to find she hadn’t thought of that. Nevertheless an idea came to mind. “Perhaps he wants to take advantage of his interest in me?”

“Perhaps,” Hubert hummed.

The two quickly ended the conversation before they reached the Black Eagles table.

**-o0o-**

Dimitri sat alone in his room with a “calming” cup of tea in hand that night.

Again. They had visited him again. Lambert had spat at him for sleeping when he had sworn he wouldn’t, Patricia had sneered at him for thinking he was anything more then a subservient bloodthirsty weapon for them, and Glenn like always questioned his resolve.

Dimitri had apologized, denied their claims, and pleaded...oh how he pleaded. He had pleaded so loudly that Dedue, kind loyal Dedue, had barged in fearing he was in trouble.

Then he had coaxed Dimitri to bed and got him a cup of chamomile tea. It had taken awhile and a promise that he would go to bed for Dimitri to convince Dedue to get his own sleep.

Dimitri was a liar.

Sighing, the prince brought the cup to his lips and took a sip, a traitorous smile found its way to his lips.

The tea tasted like any other beverage to Dimitri—bland liquid. What he drank now was simply _hot_ bland liquid. However it wasn’t the taste that warmed his soul, but the smell. Or more accurately the memory that came with it.

The memory of a younger, happier version of himself curled up against his father’s chest. One of Lambert’s strong arm held him warmly and securely as the other held a book. He read him tales of knights and dragons and mad kings put down by the Goddess. And at a certain time a servant would come in with a tray chamomile tea and two teacups.

And oh, Dimitri could never quite hold it properly. But Lambert would just laugh and—

Dimitri hadn’t noticed he was crying until a tear slipped from his cheek and plopped daintily into the amber liquid within his teacup and sent ripples through its small circumference.

His father was gone. All that was left of him was a ghost, an angry version of himself that couldn’t rest in peace.

Dimitri’s shoulders shook with quiet sobs as more tears fell into his teacup. Why did Lambert scream at him so? Didn’t he realize Dimitri was trying? Trying _so hard_ to please his soul? Why was he so _angry?_ Why didn’t he love his only son anymore?

Dimitri’s grip tightened on the little handle of his teacup until it shattered. The cup fell, porcelain cracked against the wooden floor, and tea stained it. Fragrant smelling liquid seeped between the floorboards and Dimitri cursed.

Dedue had gone through the trouble of giving him something to calm his nerves and Dimitri had destroyed it. What was _wrong_ with him? Of course Lambert no longer loved him, of course Felix couldn’t bear his presence. Damnit _he_ couldn’t even stand himself! His pathetic, weak, lying, failure of a bloodthirsty savage self!

Dimitri snatched the cracked teacup and hurled it with a scream. With his strength and the hard surface of the wall, it shattered into tiny shards and fine powder.

He watched those shards fall, clattering to the ground in near silent pings before falling back in bed and staring at the ceiling.

“Say, if you’re so keen on resting and refuse to be of use...why not join us?”

Dimitri gasped and rolled over to see Glenn sitting at his bed, smiling darkly.

Dimitri didn’t like the cruel amusement in his friend’s voice, nor the way the words seeped through his skin like icy water. And his heart leapt in his throat when Lambert and Patricia took each of his hands, pulling him off the bed and leading him towards the window.

“J-join you?” Dimitri repeated in whisper as Glenn opened the window and the night air blew in. It ruffled Dimitri’s hair and penetrated the thin cotton of his night blouse.

“Yes, son,” Lambert chuckled. “You want to rest? You may rest. _Permanently_.”

Dimitri stared wide-eyed out the window, how far from the ground he was, how the wind seemed to have turned into long cold claws that pulled him towards the green ocean of grass below.

He knew what the ghosts wanted from him. He knew. But he also knew he couldn’t die—that man, the one in the eerie red and white porcelain mask was still out there, _alive_ and his blood had not yet coated Dimitri’s hands.

And yet...

And yet Dimitri let the ghosts gently push him forwards, hoist him up so he was standing at the precipice of the window’s ledge, peering down, down, down.

Would the fall be far enough to kill him? To allow him to rest, to leave this torturous plain of existence, to never fail or disappoint anyone ever again?

Or would his cursed Crest hold him here with its strength?

There was only one way to find out he supposed.

Dimitri leaned forwards, left foot ahead against the howling wind. He could hear a faint cry as he let gravity take his body and perhaps his life—

He stopped falling abruptly as resistance tugged at the back of his blouse. It only lasted a second before the grip released and Dimitri continued his descent—

A hand. Small and delicate and _familiar_ grabbed Dimitri’s wrist and stopped his fall once more. Looking up, Dimitri was surprised to see Edelgard leaning forward through the window, hair and nightgown billowing in the wind and her eyes wide with horror.

“E-Edelgard?” Dimitri stammered in shock.

Edelgard didn’t answer as she grunted and struggled to pull him up, but she hadn’t the strength. Her grip on his wrist was slipping and she kept leaning forward to keep Dimitri in her grasp.

She cried out when she nearly fell out the window due to his weight, but braced herself against the window’s frame, bare knee bent and pressed against the edge as she used this new position for more leverage.

Panic squeezed his heart and suddenly, all thoughts of ending his life flew from Dimitri’s mind, stolen by the wind. All he could think of now was that if Edelgard didn’t let go she would plummet to the ground along with him. Dimitri could possibly survive due to his Crest, but Edelgard...

If somebody else died because of him...no, he wouldn’t let El become a ghost.

He wouldn’t.

Dimitri reached out with the hand not caught in Edelgard’s iron grip and strained for the window’s ledge, but his fingers could only brush it pathetically.

“Hold...on,” Edelgard said through gritted teeth as she heaved Dimitri’s arm with just enough strength for him to reach the cold wood. He easily pulled himself up with his one arm and simultaneously lessened the burden on Edelgard’s arm, but she still held firm.

“Let go! I can get in myself,” Dimitri said and Edelgard’s eyes narrowed with clear suspicion.

Dimitri sighed. He supposed he couldn’t blame her, in all honesty he didn’t think he trusted himself not to throw himself to the ground as soon as Edelgard was out of danger.

Dimitri let Edelgard keep her grip while he pulled his bare foot atop the window edge. Edelgard switched her grip from his wrist to his shirt and tugged him into the room.

Dimitri sprawled unceremoniously to the ground with a gasp as Edelgard slammed the window shut, body shaking with adrenaline and the heavy breaths she let out.

“What...” she panted before spinning around swiftly to glare at him. “What in _Fódlan’s name were you_ _thinking?”_

Dimitri felt his cheeks warm with shame as he looked away from Edelgard’s intense glare.

Goddess, he had tried to end his life! And for a grand total of five seconds Dimitri felt he had been a fool before his eyes fell on the shattered porcelain still on the ground.

He was just as broken as that silly little cup. Just as worthless and unworthy of a second glance. “You wouldn’t understand,” he murmured.

Edelgard laughed bitterly and stormed towards him. He still didn’t look up at her and could only see her legs move forward into his vision. “Get up.”

The tone felt so much like Lambert that Dimitri flinched and instantly obeyed. Even though she was shorter he still found the harsh fluorescence of her angry orbs intimidating.

“You’re right; I don’t understand. I don’t understand how someone with a promising future would throw his life away!”

“Promising future,” Dimitri repeated with a scoff. “What promising future, Edelgard? The one where I take the throne I’m not worthy of? Or the one where my sins catch up to me and I die on the battlefield chasing vengeance?”

Edelgard’s scowl became perplexed and she took a step back. “Vengeance?”

Dimitri inhaled sharply and cursed under his breath. He hadn’t mean to—ah, no it didn’t matter what he meant. He had said it. And he could either insist Edelgard forget what he said, or...

“I’m sure you are aware of the Tragedy of Duscur?”

Edelgard’s face immediately became masked as she took yet another step back from him. “I...am,” she said slowly.

Her reaction touched a suspicious chord in Dimitri’s chest but he quickly pushed those feelings aside. Why would Edelgard kill her own mother? She was probably trying to hide her grief from him.

“I lost my father that day,” Dimitri whispered hoarsely, and he could see the moment in his mind’s eye; horrible bird masked men pinning his father down with dark magic as he screamed for Dimitri to run. That masked and strangely armoured man bringing his axe up and—

_No_.

Dimitri shook his head and dispelled the memory, suddenly finding his legs too weak to support his weight.

“Come,” Edelgard said, gripping Dimitri’s shoulders and leading him to the bed. Her voice was gentle and the mask had seemed to slide off momentarily. “You don’t have to continue if it’s too painful.”

But the words were spilling out now as the memories kept coming, his shoulders shaking as the tears from earlier made an unwelcome encore. “Stepmother...Glenn... so many others. I lost them, they left me all alone.”

He swallowed thickly and blinked rapidly to rid his eyes of those cursed tears. Mercifully, Edelgard said nothing. She simply listened, and though the mask had returned Dimitri was grateful of it for once. He didn’t want to see Edelgard criticizing him for acting like a child, or her pity that would make him feel even more like one.

“So many wonderful people. Gone. But me, the _cowardly_ little prince survived,” Dimitri snarled, fists clenched tightly atop the bed comforters. “They didn’t deserve to die, Edelgard. They should have lived. But that masked man, those people in robes, they _stole them from me.”_ His voice quivered and tears of both anguish and anger returned. Dimitri quickly wiped them dry with his sleeve.

“I must avenge them. Not for myself, but for my loved ones who can no longer reach for the dreams—all because they died for me. And I know it is wrong to live for the soul purpose of revenge, but I owe them that don’t I? No matter how bloodthirsty I become, no matter what anyone says.”

Dimitri took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, a single tear leaking from between his lids and eyelashes. “But I can’t even do that right. What kind of son—what kind of _person_ lets their father down so horribly? I-I know it’s selfish but continuing to go on, knowing that I’m not only letting down the dead but also the living I—“

“How do you know?” Edelgard questioned as she placed a firm hand on his shoulder. Dimitri glanced at it, noticing the thin scars dancing across the pale skin like spiderwebs. She pulled it back as if she were burned and put it behind her back. “How do you know your fallen loved ones are dissatisfied with you?”

Dimitri paused before saying, “They...tell me.”

Edelgard opened and closed her mouth before understanding dawned on her face. She closed her eyes and seemingly pondered the situation, before she opened them and said, “Dimitri, do you recall the people your loved ones were before they died?”

Dimitri thought for a moment, a sad smile on his lips as he remembered. Lambert, loud, kind and gentle. Patricia, quiet, nurturing and sad. Glenn, sharp-tongued, courageous and loyal. “I do,” Dimitri said as another tear slid down his cheek. He hiccuped and looked down at the comforters as more tears began to fall and decorate the white blankets in dark spots. “I do.”

“Tell me, would any of them scream at you for failing, or making a mistake?”

_‘No’_ his mind supplied immediately. Lambert would chuckle and correct him, Patricia would gently scold him and more times than not, fix the mistake herself, even Glenn wouldn’t yell or curse his name or tell him he should die if he—

Dimitri swallowed and looked up at Edelgard. He still couldn’t decipher the smooth marble of her face.

“What are you saying, Edelgard?”

She hesitated for a second, shifted slightly and said, “Perhaps...perhaps those voices aren’t your family at all.”

Dimitri inhaled sharply, lips pressed into a thin light as he sharply asked, “What?”

“Think about it, they’re far detached from their personalities—“

“They were _murdered_ Edelgard! Murdered in cold blood!” Dimitri yelled. “Would you be the same person after that?”

“I wouldn’t even be a person, Dimitri. I would be _dead_ and unable to change my personality or express my disappointment with a single soul,” Edelgard said coldly. “These voice are simply the delusions of your mind—“

“I am not _mad,”_ Dimitri hissed.

“Fine. Continue to believe that,” Edelgard said in a tight voice. She uncrossed her legs and slid from the bed, walking towards the bedroom door. Dimitri kept his back to her. How could she suggest that he was crazy? He already had a long list of horrible adjectives that described him, if being delusional was one them—

“Edelgard.”

Edelgard paused halfway out the door to look at him curiously.

“Now that you...” he licked his lips and breathed in deeply before turning to face her properly. “Now that you know why I’m like this, my reasonings...do you still believe I’m not a monster?”

“I do,” Edelgard answered with no hesitation. Dimitri smiled shakily to himself at that.

“Truly?”

“Truly. But I want to you to know something.”

Edelgard turned to face him fully and a sad gaze and frown had creased her forehead. “Don’t you ever try throwing your life away again. I know sometimes that it’s tempting but...”

She looked away from him. “If the...ghosts of your family is what you fight for, then you mustn’t give into despair and forget. Never. You must continue your battle and never surrender.” With that, Edelgard left, shutting the door behind her.

**-o0o-**

Arundel was right, Dimitri truly was a weapon—a weapon for the dead.

How must it feel to be haunted by the apparitions of your loved ones? Turned twisted and angry by a cruel torturing mind to validate one’s self-loathing?

And he simply suffered and wore a kind mask through it all. All alone and taking the verbal abuse of both his mad brain and Felix because he felt he _deserved it_ just for not dying, just because he felt obligated to avenge his family and felt horrible about it.

It she hadn’t heard him break that teacup...

But Edelgard could not save him from his darkness. It was something he had to overcome himself, but the Tragedy had been five years ago had it not? If in all that time he couldn’t break free from his mental shackles then could he even be saved?

She wasn’t supposed to save him anyway, Arundel wanted a killer, and Dimitri in his current state was the perfect candidate.

There was a faraway bit of sadness and a huge chunk of rage in her heart at that thought. And she found herself sitting cross legged that night in her bed, staring at the sheathed dagger the prince had supposedly given her instead of doing something productive.

“ _You may not remember the joyous time we had together, but I know in my heart that the friendship we shared is still there, lying dormant.”_

Edelgard was still skeptical of that, but the more she thought about Dimitri, the more a familiarity blossomed in her heart. And the less she wanted the filthy hands of the Agarthans—the ones who caused his mental deterioration in the first place—to take advantage of his pain and use him as their newest puppet.

The more she truly felt she could call him a friend and the less she wanted to push him away.

“Foolish,” she said to herself as she got up and slammed the dagger on her vanity with more force than necessary. Edelgard had sworn to herself she would no longer doubt, no longer sulk about working with her bastard “uncle” and here she was doing just that. And over what? A boy she couldn’t even remember?

Gritting her teeth, Edelgard ran stressed hands through her hair and slammed her forehead against the vanity wood. “Damn you, Dimitri Blaiddyd,” she hissed, even though logically speaking this wasn’t his fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This chapter was strictly Dimigard angst/fluff but next chapter shall be the Mock Battle!
> 
> I will ask you another question my readers; which House do you want be victorious?! The fate of the battle lies in your hands! *EPIC MUSIC* >:O
> 
> Okay ‘Bye
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	6. The Mock Battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Happy Friday, friends! And welcome to another episode of Angst Ocean! 
> 
> As opposed to the title of this series, we are having a light hearted episode today, filled with teenagers bruising each other with slightly pointy weapons and very dangerous magic! So prepare yourselves and bask in the sunshine of Nobody Crying because the next chapter is already fully outlined and we are diving RIGHT back into that salty deep blue of children’s tears! 
> 
> Apologies for those who found last chapter a bit of a rush in Dimitri and Edelgard’s relationship; I’ll certainly pay closer attention to those shipping flames and keep it at a simmering slow burn! 
> 
> The votes for the Mock Battle winners have been added together from both Fanfiction and Archive comments, and we have a winner! 
> 
> If anyone is dissatisfied with the winner, remember there’s always the Battle of Eagle and Lion!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Dimitri woke up freezing.

He had always loved the cold; it reminded him of the sharp, crisp, chill of Fhirdiad and worked to lessen his home sickness.

However this cold was different from the comforting frigidity of Faerghus. It was eerie and foreboding, it was the kind of cold that seeped deep into your bones and froze the blood in your veins until it hurt.

It didn’t matter that the sun was shining giddily from behind his window or that he was tucked tightly within his blanket, Dimitri still shivered like a newborn foal and he didn’t understand why.

Unless...unless the Goddess was punishing him, forcing him to feel the frigid winds that had battered his body last night when...

When he almost...

Dimitri hugged the blanket tighter to his body and shivered again at the memory of a faraway grassy ground that nearly claimed his soul—that *would’ve* claimed his soul had El not been there.

Or...maybe it had. Maybe he was dead. Maybe he was but a corpse and—no that made little sense. He hardly believed Edelgard would give words of encouragement to a corpse.

“ _If the...ghosts of your family is what you fight for, then you mustn’t give into despair and forget. Never. You must fight and never surrender.”_

Dimitri clenched those words in a vice like mental grip and held them close to his heart. He couldn’t throw his life away again, not when his family was counting on him.

With the shivering subsided, all that remained in his head was Edelgard’s frown and the scars on her hand and the little observation of how tempting it was to throw one’s life away.

Dimitri had practically scooped out his innards and given it to her on a silver platter and yet she hadn’t revealed so much as her favourite hobby to him in the two weeks they had been together at the Monastery.

Was he doing something wrong? And if so what did he have to do to find El again?

Dimitri sighed and rolled over to his side to get up. It didn’t matter, he supposed. Edelgard would tell what she wanted in her own time.

As he sat up, he came face to face with a tray full of food balanced neatly atop a wooden stole.

Confused, Dimitri swept his gaze across the french toast, hash browns, and orange juice that decorated the neat silver tray. Next to the juice was a note that Dimitri picked up with curious frown.

_Your Highness,_

_I insist you stay in bed today._

_—Dedue_

Dimitri laughed quietly to himself as he placed the note down and proceeded to eat the breakfast Dedue had left for him. It was lukewarm at best and of course he couldn’t taste a thing, but just the thought of Dedue going through all the trouble for his sake made Dimitri imagine he could.

Perhaps his retainer was right. After last night’s...ordeal he didn’t feel all too comfortable facing the outside world.

A loud knock startled the fork from Dimitri’s fingers and he choked on the hash browns he had been finishing up.

“Boar!” an annoyed voice barked from outside. “Hurry up, you’re late.”

Dimitri wiped his mouth with the back of his fist before calling, “Actually, Felix I think—“

“If we loose the mock battle because of your lazy ass I’m going to kill you!”

The mock battle. _Goddess_ he had nearly forgotten! Dimitri chugged the rest of the orange juice down his throat before he pushed the now empty tray and stool away from him and rushed to put on his uniform.

Minutes later, Dimitri had ran to the Blue Lions homeroom in a disheveled mess and staggered to a stop as he crashed into a nearby desk.

“Prince Dimitri, how lovely of you to join us!” Professor Hanneman said with a quirked eyebrow and an amused smile from the front of the classroom.

Dimitri flushed and stood up straight before bowing lightly. “Apologies, Professor.”

“Oh, don’t worry too much! The Professor was just giving us a description of our mock battlefield!” Mercedes said over her shoulder with a kind smile from the front row.

“Nevertheless, I will try harder to be on time,” Dimitri said as he stood up straight once more.

Hanneman nodded. “That would be appreciated, Dimitri. Please, take a seat.”

Dimitri sat beside Dedue and squeezed his shoulder, murmuring a quick “thank you” for his little morning gift. The stoic Dedue gave a smile before returning to the chalkboard.

“Now!” Hanneman said, chalk in hand as he strode around the classroom. “It must be noted that the Black Eagles and Golden Deer are formidable forces to be taken seriously.”

Sylvain snorted. His legs were lounging on his desk as he leaned on the back legs of his chair. “‘Formidable forces’? Come on, Professor! You actually think we can’t take them?”

Ashe turned to Sylvain with a frown. “It won’t do to underestimate our opponents, Sylvain.”

“Agreed, Ashe,” Hanneman said, pointing the chalk at him. “You all may be from a kingdom best known for its exceptional knights but the other houses have a great variety of powerful students as well. I would hope that you all do not underestimate them.”

Dimitri sucked in a sharp breath when he saw Lambert standing silently by the blackboard as Hanneman then went on to explain which houses specialized in what type of combat and made suggestions as to who would do well to fight them.

“Of course, the final decision of who gets to fight is up to your House Leader. Dimitri, if you please?”

Dimitri didn’t hear. Too panicked to think or say or do a thing as Lambert stalked closer.

Was he mad? But he couldn’t be mad! Lambert had lead him to the window, it was _him_ who had told him he could rest permanently!

Dimitri quaked and looked up at his father as he towered over him, peering down at him with cold glassy eyes.

“I was doing what you asked,” Dimitri whispered and Lambert narrowed his eyes. Dimitri braced himself for a rant. “Y-you told me to. Father, please don’t be angry I—“

Something jabbed him in the skull and Dimitri swivelled around to find Felix with his quill poised to strike again.

“Pay attention, Boar,” He growled.

Dimitri gasped and turned back to the front of the class. Lambert was gone abc everyone was staring at him.

“His Highness should rest,” Dedue said, gripping Dimitri’s shoulder with a frown. “I fear he is ill equipped to fight as of now.”

“I agree with the Dog. If the Boar Prince keeps zoning off into la-la land he won’t be able to give proper orders and we’ll certainly loose.”

“And more importantly it’s a bad idea to do stuff when you’re weak and tired; you could get hurt!” Annette added. “You should take a nap, Dimitri.”

Dimitri shook his head and shrugged off Dedue’s hand. “No. I can’t let anyone—I _won’t_ let anyone down.”

“You’re not letting a single soul down by taking care of yourself, Your Highness,” Ingrid said gently. “Please, we’ll win the battle for you.”

“No, no, no,” Hanneman said adjusting his monocle and holding up an authoritative finger. “The rules clearly state the House Leader _must_ be on field.”

Dimitri got up quickly before the argument could continue and he walked purposely towards the front of the classroom, surveying everyone.

Nearly every face with the exception of Felix and Dedue were alight with eagerness and Dimitri sighed softly for the second time that day. No matter who he chose to fill the three fighting slots, someone would be left disappointed.

Goddess, did he _have_ to choose? Dimitri quickly shook the childish thought away though, he was going to be a king soon; he needed to be decisive—

A sharp shriek pierced the air and all eyes turned to the open doors of the Blue Lions homeroom as a young man Dimitri recognized as Edelgard’s retainer carried a sulking violet haired girl over his shoulder.

“Erm...alright. Anyway,” Dimitri said as the attention returned to him. “How about...Felix, Dedue, and—“ Dimitri looked thoughtful at the five other possible fighters.

It would be helpful to work with someone he knew—however it would also be good to even out the variety with an archer or a magic user.

But at the moment...at the moment he didn’t think he wanted the company of mere acquaintances.

“Ah...Ingrid. Would you like to fight?”

Ingrid got up and bowed with a smile. “I’d be honoured.”

“Woooow. Ouch,” Sylvain said teasingly.

Dimitri flinched. “I’m sorry, Sylvain it’s just—“

“Meh, didn’t feel like fighting anyway. I’m a _much_ better cheerleader!”

Still, Dimitri tried not to feel guilty as the remaining unchosen students who were not Sylvain all shrank slightly in disappointment.

“Never fret, friends!” Hanneman said with a warm smile. “You’ll all be able to prove yourselves during your monthly missions and of course, we mustn’t forget the Battle of Eagle and Lion! Anyway, now that we’re set, I suggest you four start practicing.”

**-o0o-**

“Now, students. I _really_ don’t want things to go down like they did last year, okay?” Manuela said to the Black Eagles that morning (thankfully sober this time). “The Black Eagles suffered the most embarrassing defeat since...well ever! You kids are gonna have to pick up where they failed, yeah?”

Edelgard watched Manuela raptly as she exclaimed the other houses and the layout of the land. But even then she found her thoughts occasionally drift to the previous night—a sobbing broken prince haunted by the deaths of his loved ones. A sobbing broken prince that would have thrown his life away if she hadn’t caught him. She remembered the pulse in his wrist where she had grabbed him; slow and unafraid.

Resigned.

Her hand unconsciously touched the dagger at her hip before she jerked it back as if it it were molten.

Honestly, she was wasting brain cells.

Manuela clapped her hands together and pointed them towards Edelgard. “Alright, sweetie. Pick out the winning—where’s Bernadetta?”

“Uh...I _tried_ getting her, Professor but she wouldn’t get out of her room,” Caspar supplied helplessly.

Manuela dragged a tired hand down her face before reaching for her flask and saying, “Somebody get that child.”

Hubert sighed heavily and stalked out of the classroom and seconds later, a loud high-pitched shriek could be heard, followed by Hubert walking back into the classroom with a sulking Bernadetta over his shoulder.

He then grabbed her by the waist and plopped her down in her assigned seat.

“ _Oh_ why do I have to be here?” Bernadetta whined as she shrank into her seat.

“Because we are needing your presence so we can win,” Petra said, patting the girl’s hunched shoulder. Bernadetta simply sighed despondently and covered her face with a book.

“Do at least _try_ to care, Bernadetta,” Hubert drawled irritably.

“Now that we are all together, we can _finally_ get going with putting together our winning team!” Manuela said. “Edelgard?”

The princess stood up before striding to the front of the classroom, hands clasped behind her.

Edelgard didn’t known much about the members of this year’s Black Eagle house—between Arundel, brewing wars, the fact she hadn’t exactly spoken to them during the Feast or...ever, and now the curious case of Dimitri, her classmates were far from her mind and she knew nothing of them other than the barest bones of their personality. Otherwise she had not the slightest clue as to what their fighting capabilities were or how they handled particular situations in battle.

This posed a problem. Still, she put her trust in the little she knew and semi-blind intuition.

“Alright,” Edelgard said slowly. “Hubert, Ferdinand—“

“Aha! Yes! Watch, Edelgard, watch as I bring this class to victory! Lady Rhea will _rue_ the day she chose you to lead the Black Eagle house!”

Edelgard inhaled a sharp irritated breath before turning to—“Dorothea.”

“A chance to charm the boys? Count me in!” Dorothea chirped.

“Alrighty, it’s settled!” Manuela said cheerfully. “Students, practice your forms with each other, we are _not_ loosing.”

**-o0o-**

“The Blue Lions and Black Eagles will be difficult opponents,” Byleth stated cooly as she circled the Golden Deer house. The nine of them were on the mock battlefield with a rather chilly wind almost spurring a shiver from its victims—either that or it was a sign to Claude that keeping the top-half of his uniform unbuttoned was impractical.

It was a sign he ignored, however; he looked too fine.

“Their fighters are exceptional and from what I’ve seen of you and the other houses, more heavily trained than you all—except for Claude. And Lysithea, I’m not knowledgeable with magic but you seem fairly talented.”

“Well, actually Professor Byleth, I was trained by your father,” Leonie said smugly.

“For two weeks if I remember right,” Byleth nodded. “Still, you can be better.”

Claude grinned and Lysithea straightened up, puffing her chest out in pride while Leonie scowled and Lorenz scoffed.

“There’s hardly anything special about _Claude,”_ He sneered in disdain.

Claude rolled his eyes. “Aaaaand here we go.”

“So what he can shoot a few arrows? There are _millions_ who can! How many do you know who can figure out a tea’s flavour from its scent? Hmm?”

“That’s nice, Lorenz,” Byleth said, staring at him with that eerie gaze. “How will that help you in the battlefield?”

Lorenz laughed and whipped his head back. “ _Well_! I’m delighted you asked, Professor! My wonderful nose is not the only heightened sense I have! I have fantastic reflexes!”

Byleth tilted her head to the side and blinked slowly. “Is that so?”

Claude had a hard time telling if she was taunting him or being genuinely curious—Byleth’s face was even more carefully guarded and nonchalant than Edelgard’s.

It was something that made him burn with curiosity.

“Indeed! You know I once—“

Byleth punched Lorenz directly in the throat and he crumbled to the ground with a cry of pain and a whimper.

“Oh. You were joking,” Byleth mused thoughtfully as the Golden Deer with the exception of Ignatz and Marianne burst out laughing. “I’ll make a mental note of that.”

“That—that wasn’t fair! I wasn’t ready!” Lorenz wheezed as he rubbed his throat pitifully.

Lysithea rolled her eyes dramatically. “Lorenz, the definition of ‘good reflexes’ is that you don’t _need_ to be ready, you just are.”

“Exactly,” Byleth pointed at Lysithea and nodded. The little midget beamed before Byleth circled the class again.

“By graduation, I want all of you to learn proper reflexes. To start that off you need to be fully aware of your surroundings and be prepared to react on a moment’s notice.”

Byleth stopped in front of Claude and he mentally prepared himself for a punch or a kick, not wanting to suffer Lorenz’s embarrassing fate.

Instead, Byleth kicked backward and her sharp heel connected with Hilda’s stomach.

”Ow! _Professooooor_!” She whined as she clutched her stomach and staggered backwards.

“Now then,” Byleth said, stepping back and gesturing to Claude. “Choose the fighters.”

“You got it, Teach!” Claude grinned and stepped to the front of the class. “Let’s see, Hilda—“

“Claude! Do you actually expect me to fight? My stomach is _bruised!”_ Hilda cried, still clutching her stomach and bending forward a bit.

“Sorry, Hilda. You’re a super strong fighter! It’d be dumb of me not to get you out there! Anyway, Lysithea you seem pretty good with magic _aaaand_ Ignatz! How about it buddy?”

“Me?” Ignatz cried at the same time Lorenz snapped “Him?”

“Yes, _him,_ Lorenz. He’s a damn good archer,” Claude said, crossing his arms. “That and I’m worried about your _good reflexes_ throwing away the match.”

Lorenz bristled and pointed an angry finger at Claude. “It’s _your_ shoddy choice of fighters that will throw away this match, Claude!”

“Who are you calling shoddy?” Lysithea demanded with a glare while Hilda said, “Nah, he’s right, I’m no good! Choose someone else, Claude.”

“Guys. Trust me, I know what I’m doing! Just you wait; come this afternoon we’ll be mopping the grass with haughty noble butt!”

**-o0o-**

Dimitri’s ghosts didn’t usually visit him in the day, but they wouldn’t stop following him around today.

They followed during lunch, they followed when he was training with the others, and they followed him now as he walked onto the mock battlefield, leaving bloodied footprints in their wake.

“Boar,” Felix said, jabbing Dimitri in the arm as they waited at the ready in the open field. “Keep your head in the game.”

Dimitri nodded stiffly and sank into a battle stance. “Yes, of course. I know.”

“Good.” Felix turned back to the House armies before them. Dimitri noticed the large bruise on his right cheek and a grin found its way onto his face.

“Edelgard left quite a bruise, Felix!”

Felix gave Dimitri a sharp glare. “Shut. Up.”

“ _That’s_ where you got it from?” Ingrid said as she came up between the boys. An impish glint sparkled in her vivid green eyes as she said, “I _knew_ you were lying when you said it was a training accident! Wait ‘till Sylvain hear’s this!”

“Sylvain _won’t_ hear this!” Felix snapped as Ingrid ignored him and turned her amused gaze to Dimitri. “What’d the big jerk do this time?”

“He called her a dog.”

” _Goddess!_ Seriously, Felix?”

“Ugh,” Felix rolled his eyes and stormed ahead.

The two watched his retreating back before Ingrid said, “What kind of argument lead him to him saying that?”

“Ah...well Felix was calling me his usual nicknames and Edelgard wasn’t overly fond of it. She made that verbally—and physically—very clear,” Dimitri replied.

“I’ve seen the two of you talking a lot but I would have never imagined in such a short space of time she would defend you so surely,” Ingrid mused before smiling and patting Dimitri’s shoulder. “But I’m glad Sylvain’s advice is paying off and you two are becoming friends.”

Was that what they were now? At this point they knew each other for two weeks, and had exchanged a fair amount of words. Not to mention they’d each saved each other once. Did that make two people friends?

Dimitri liked to think so—but he also knew despite the fleeting smiles she gave him and the light banter and the defence, and good advice, despite the fact that it was her hand that had pulled him from a possible demise, there was a distinct line Edelgard had placed between them. And Dimitri didn’t want to overstep and accidentally push her away.

“We’ll see, Ingrid,” Dimitri said, eyes finding the Black Eagles leader talking with her chosen fighters. “We’ll see.”

**-o0o-**

“Students!” Jeralt boomed as he rode into the centre of the field atop a large horse. “This year’s mock battle is about to begin!”

There were cheers that echoed around the field from both the competing students and the ones egging on their classmates from the sidelines.

Jeralt then held up his hand, silencing the voices almost immediately. Edelgard found herself rather impressed with his commanding presence—it was no wonder he became a leader of his band of mercenaries.

“You all know the rules, but I’m going to repeat them because I want a clean, fair, match.” Jeralt rightfully directed a pointed glare to the Golden Deer house before continuing. “Full activation of your Crest is prohibited, as well as head shots. I see a single glowing hand, or arrow aimed at the eye, your team is disqualified. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.”

“A team only wins if every student not in their house cannot stand, looses consciousness, or surrenders—that includes the House Professors who will join the offensive _only_ if they are first attacked first or once all the students in their respective house have been defeated. There will be healers and knights everywhere prepared to escort you off the field if you are defeated. Questions?”

Claude rose his hand.

“Riegan?”

“Is non-lethal poison also prohibited?”

Edelgard rolled her eyes. What kind of question was that? Of course poison would be unfair!

Jeralt raised his eyebrows and turned his mount to face the Golden Deer properly. “That a confession, kid?”

Claude smiles lazily and rocked back and forth on his heels. “I dunno! Mayyybe?”

“You better be joking,” Felix snapped from Blue Lions side.

“I second that sentiment,” Hubert said darkly.

Claude held up his hands in surrender. “Relax, I was only asking! I didn’t _actually_ spike your food, my fellow peers.”

“Wait just a moment! Who said anything about spiking food?!” Ferdinand exclaimed, clutching his stomach as his eyes darted to all the students.

“Whoops! Guess I let that slip! Maybe. Who knows?” Claude grinned mischievously as a ripple of unease radiated off the Black Eagles and Blue Lions students.

“Don’t listen to him,” Edelgard said firmly. “He’s trying to set us on edge.” But even as she said that she warily poked her stomach to see if it was settled properly.

Jeralt sighed heavily. “It’s...not in the official rule book—“

“Okay, cool!” Claude chirped and gave the captain a wink. “Thanks for the reassurance, Captain!”

Jeralt paused to give Byleth a look and she simply shrugged.

“Any...other questions?”

There was a unanimous silence.

Jeralt nodded and held up a horn. “Alright then! This battle starts...” a deep breath later, he blew heavily and a deep brass sound resonated throughout the field.

The houses all ran to different areas of the field while their benched counterparts cheered their team class on.

“Dorothea, Hubert, you three take the Blue Lions; thanks to your magic you’ll have a long range advantage. From what I’ve seen, they only have melee weapons.”

Dorothea gave a wink and a quick salute before saying, “Come on, Hubie! Word is those Blue Lion boys have some _seriously_ good genes! Can’t wait to get a close look for myself!”

Hubert rolled his eyes as he and the brunette ran off in the direction the Blue Lions ran off to.

“Ferdinand, with me,” Edelgard said, turning to the strawberry-blonde boy and rolling her eyes when she saw he was rubbing his stomach queasily.

“I think he _did_ poison our lunch,” He said worriedly. “Oh the mortification! Imagine me loosing control of my bowels on the battlefield!”

“It’s all in your head, Ferdinand, goodness!” Edelgard huffed before turning to Manuela as she stood patiently atop a magic healing tile. “Professor Manuela, we’ll be going after the Golden Deer and they have two archers. Do you think you can offer healing support from here?”

“Aye, aye, Sweetie!” Manuela said with a bright grin. “My magic can’t reach too far though so be careful.”

Edelgard nodded in agreement before she and Ferdinand took off towards the Golden Deer’s direction.

**-o0o-**

“They’re sending only one after us,” Felix said as an attractive brunette ran towards them. A slow sideways smirk spread across his face as he took out his sword. “Cocky.”

“Observe her lack weapons. It’s seems she is a mage.” Hanneman said pensively as he rubbed his chin.

“I see. In that case Ingrid, Felix, engage her; you’re the fastest of all of us,” Dimitri said. “Dedue and I will aide you if you need it.”

Ingrid nodded firmly while Felix scoffed. “We won’t need it.”

Ingrid gave Felix a sideways glance and a teasing smirk. “Look who’s cocky now?”

Felix didn’t bother answering as the two charged towards their assailant.

“I believe it would be beneficial to go for the Golden Deer these students are occupied with your friends, Your Highness,” Dedue commented.

Dimitri shook his head. “No. That would be reckless, we’ll eliminate the Black Eagles first before focusing on our other opponents.”

“Well, well! The rumours _were_ true!” Dimitri heard the brunette say as the three classes met each other midway. “Hello, Handsome! Hello, Ingrid!”

Dimitri watched curiously as Ingrid gave a companionable smile and nod. “Dorothea. Long time no see!”

“Hey, tell you what; once we defeat you and your hot guy-friends, how about we go on a shopping spree? You can even bring this cute one over here!” Dorothea flashed Felix a wink and he dramatically rolled his eyes in response. “Can we get on with this?” He demanded.

Ingrid sank into a fighting position and rose her training lance. “Sorry, Dorothea; we won’t be loosing today. I’ll take you up on that shopping spree, though.”

Dorothea’s hands sparked with electricity and she grinned. “We’ll see about that, dearest Ingrid.”

Bolts of lightning shot from her fingertips and the two Lions jumped out of its path.

Dimitri’s eyes widened as it struck a tree and cracked its wood.

“Goddess! Full Crest activation isn’t allowed but _that_ is?!”

“I’ve been saying that for years!” Hanneman cried as Dorothea sent bolts after bolts of lightning clawing for his two teammates.

Ingrid was jumping, leaping, and rolling out of the way while Felix seemed to be in a dangerous dance that reminded him very much of Edelgard’s fighting style.

Dimitri clenched his lance tight enough to hold his secure but not enough to snap it. “Dedue, we must—“

“Your Highness!” Dedue exclaimed suddenly and shoved Dimitri to the ground just as an indigo orb soared through the air and slammed into Dedue, sending him crashing down.

Dimitri gasped and scrambled to his feet. He swung his lance blindly and the weapon was caught in the fist of Edelgard’s smirking retainer.

“Hello, Prince Dimitri,” he said as he held up his other hand and blasted another violet orb towards his chest.

The spell felt like solid marble, and at point blank range it was absolute agony. Dimitri cried out pain and hit the grass hard, but he quickly regained his bearings and rolled over to dodge another blast that created a crater in the ground and blackened the verdant green.

“Oh, very good, Dimitri! Not many people can get up after such a close encounter with Miasma! And Hubert, such masterful spell work; I’ve never seen it cast so fast!” Hanneman praised as Dimitri got to his feet, arm wrapped around his stomach and wincing as he breathed in.

Dimitri expected the retainer to attack again but instead he tossed lance his back to him. “Let’s have a bit fun shall we—“

Hubert stopped abruptly narrowed his visible eye before he quickly leapt out of the way of Dedue’s swing. He landed on the wood of a tree and pushed off with a vicious grin and glowing purple fists.

Dimitri lunged forward and rammed his shoulder into Hubert with enough force to knock him off course and send both boys sprawling.

“Bah!” Hubert growled irritably and threw Dimitri off him.

“Your Highness!” Dedue called and tossed Dimitri his lance. The prince caught it just in time to block a kick from Hubert. Simultaneously, Dedue charged again and Hubert jumped over the downward attack.

“Keep up the offensive, Dedue!” Dimitri exclaimed as he attempted to attack Hubert with powerful blows.

Outnumbered, Hubert was stuck dodging and putting up quick shields with a frustrated scowl on his face. With a loud way cry, Dedue managed to finally land a blow that slammed into Hubert’s stomach.

The retainer gasped and crashed against another tree while Dimitri aimed a stab for his chest. Hubert held up his hands and a glowing magical shield stopped the weapon in its place.

Dimitri narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth in determination, pressing the blunt edged lance against the barrier until it cracked and splintered.

“Such strength without the full force of your Crest. Intriguing,” Hubert grunted, a bead of sweat gliding from his brow.

Dimitri let a smile grace his face. “And you are a fantastic fighter without one.”

Hubert could only return a smirk and mutter a “Hmph,” before the barrier shattered and Dimitri’s lance had harshly stabbed the retainer.

Hubert groaned and doubled over with a spluttering cough. “Next...” _cough_. “time,” he muttered as he lay on the ground.

Dimitri gave a respectful nod as a nearby knight and healers came running to claim him. Dimitri and Dedue turned their attention back to Ingrid, Felix and Dorothea just as the blonde tumbled to the ground and forced herself back up even as her muscles spasmed.

“You _could_ just surrender, Ingrid,” Dorothea smiled in a syrupy manner as she stalked towards the foursome with her entire body laced in ropes of dangerous lightning.

Ingrid seemed about to say something but ended up collapsing back down on shaking muscles. “S-sorry Your Highness,” she groaned as healers helped her into a stretcher.

“It’s alright, Ingrid. We’ll win this,” Dimitri said as he and Dedue stepped forward to aide Felix, but held out his hand. “No. I have an idea.”

Seconds later, Felix charged forward, ducked another lightning bolt and slashed at Dorothea with what Dimitri recognized was extremely wide and imprecise.

Not surprisingly, Dorothea dodged easily but had landed in front of a thick tree route. Felix smirked and slashed again, this time with a properly timed and precise swing.

Dorothea’s next dodge had her tripping on the root and she gasped and yelped as the sharp blow slammed into her stomach and sent her crashing against a tree. Her attempt to push up and retaliate was stopped as she saw three different weapons pointed threateningly at her face.

She attempted to spark her fingers again, but the magic quickly dissipated and died.

“Well damn! Looks like I’m done,” Dorothea smiled good naturally before pulling out a white flag from her skirt pocket and waved it high in the air.

“Aha! Well done, students!” Hanneman clapped gleefully.

“Oh, no need to rub it in, Professor Hanneman,” Dorothea said as a nearby Knight of Seiros escorted her away. She turned to look over her shoulder and called. “‘Bye, Handsome One and Handsome Two!” She then locked eyes with Dimitri gave him a sultry wink. “Your Highness.”

Dimitri coughed and quickly averted his eyes, feeling an unwanted flush creep into his cheeks. Dorothea laughed and wiggled her fingers in farewell while Felix frowned and elbowed him in the ribs.

“ _Ah!”_ He hissed and cringed. “What was that for, Felix?”

“I’m doing Ingrid’s job,” he said cooly as Dimitri gingerly rubbed the sore area of his chest where Hubert’s spell had hit him.

“I do not think this is the time to be fighting each other,” Dedue suggested.

Dimitri nodded. “Agreed. We should focus our attention on the other students.”

**-o0o-**

“These Deer are *extremely* allusive,” Ferdinand muttered as he poked random bushes and swept his lance in an arc each time he and Edelgard turned a corner through a thicket of trees. “Where are they hiding?”

“We’ll find them,” Edelgard said confidently. “They’re going to have to fight eventual—“

A _ting, ting_ of a bell rang and the two Eagles spun around to see Hubert being escorted off the field with the aide of two healers.

“Hubert! But—already?” Edelgard exclaimed with wide eyes. A second _ting, ting_ sounded and one of the Blue Lions was carried off. A second bell chime showed a smiling Dorothea being lead off the field as well.

“But—impossible! We lost two in under five minutes!” Ferdinand cried. “Edelgard, your friend Dimitri and his allies are either exceptionally powerful or Hubert and Dorothea were having an off day!”

Edelgard shook her head with frustration. “No, Hubert doesn’t have ‘off days’ he’s always impeccable! We must have underestimated—did you just say ‘friend’?”

Ferdinand tilted his head to the side. “Aren’t you and The Prince friends? I mean he always talks about you with his retainer and I’ve seen you hold conversations with each other...and once or twice he visited your room—“

Edelgard frowned back. “No.”

“Huh. Well, sorry for assum—AH!” Ferdinand screamed as an arrow pelted against his lance arm.

Edelgard gasped and spun around in search of the attacker before her eyes landed on a green haired boy standing there and quickly attempting to nock another arrow in his bow.

Edelgard dashed forward, brandishing her axe and preparing to swing once she was in range.

The boy squeaked and began running, dodging between trees and attempting to bend back branches in Edelgard’s face.

Edelgard perused the boy purposefully, ducking under the branches he pulled back and leaping under vines and roots.

The boy then stopped abruptly and turned to face her, face flushed red from running. Stopping was a mistake on the boy’s part. And continuing to run forwards was a mistake on Edelgard’s.

A vine just before the boy was drawn taught by unseen students and Edelgard tripped over it white a surprised squeak. She tumbled and rolled forward, crashing face forward into a tree and flopping onto her back.

Through her dazed vision, she could see multiple Miasma orbs floating right above her and hovering. Blinking the dizziness from her eyes, she could see a young girl with a shock of white hair walk forward with her glowing violet hands held up.

Edelgard inhaled sharply at the alabaster locks and felt a pang of empathy. Could she too be—?

“It would be in your best interest to surrender,” The girl said as Edelgard forced all expression from her face. Still, the pang of empathy only increased when she heard just how young her voice sounded.

Edelgard’s eyes landed on her fallen axe atop the tree’s root and just before her heel. “Unfortunately, I’m not the surrendering type,” she replied, as she kicked the axe upwards with her toe and kicked it forward with another kick from her heel.

It hit the girl right where Edelgard wanted it to—across the shoulder. It wasn’t enough to cause her to stumble or even leave a bruise but she stumbled backwards and her concentration on the Miasmas was canceled.

Edelgard quickly rolled backwards and stopped in a crouch just in time to dodge an arrow courtesy of the archer boy. It bounced off a tree trunk as Edelgard lunged off the ground and twirled away from another Miasma blast from the girl.

The girl was about to cast another Miasma when with a cry of surprise she went flying and smacked her head on the bough of the tree Edelgard had fallen against.

“Lysithea!” The archer boy cried as the girl crumpled unconscious to the grass with a wooden lance sticking up from her back momentarily before gravity coaxed it down.

“Aha! Let this be known, Edelgard. I, Ferdinand von Aiger, succeeded where you have failed!”

Edelgard rolled her eyes and moved out of the way as healers carried Lysithea’s body away. “I hardly _failed._ You simply finished her off before I could defeat her, that’s all.”

“So you say—!” Ferdinand’s smug grin immediately shifted to a scowl as he stepped forward and held up his lance horizontally. Another blunt arrow from the archer boy bounced off it.

“Ha! You can’t surprise _me_ a second time archer child. For I am Ferdinand—!”

A girl with pink pigtails spun from behind a tree and smacked Ferdinand’s kneecaps heavily.

Ferdinand yowled in pain and collapsed to the ground in a heap. “OW! My knees, what did you do to my knees?!”

“Psh. ‘Can’t surprise me’ huh? Well _that_ was a lie,” The girl snickered before turning her attention to Edelgard.

“Hilda! What were you doing all along?” The archer boy cried indignantly. “A little help would’ve been great!”

Hilda rolled her eyes. “Sorry but I _thought_ you could handle it! A little thanks would be nice for taking out one of the only two Eagles standing though, Ignatz.”

Ignatz sighed and shook his head before levelling an arrow at Edelgard’s back.

“Ferdinand...” Edelgard hissed.

“I can’t get up! My legs are like _rubber!”_

“ _Yeah_ that’s ‘cause they kinda are temporarily!” Hilda chirped.

Edelgard blinked in surprise and staggered backwards. “What?”

Hilda grinned and twirled her axe. “Crest of Gonreil, baby!” She cheered before crouching, touching the ground and jumping inhumanly high into the air. Edelgard watched wide eyed as the ground she had been previously standing on wobbled like disturbed gelatine.

Hilda turned in the air and dived back down like a vibrant shooting star, axe gripped tight and determined grin on her face. Sucking in a sharp breath, Edelgard backflipped out of her path at the last second and landed just in time to block another arrow from Ignatz with her axe.

Hilda landed in a one handed hand stand and the ground momentarily sank under her weight before she flipped back to her feet and rushed towards Edelgard.

Gritting her teeth, Edelgard’s axe met with Hilda’s and she pushed back and ducked under yet another arrow from Ignatz. When she stood straight to block Hilda once more, she found her axe drooping and squishing uselessly in her hand.

This Crest was _painfully_ obnoxious.

Edelgard leapt away from Hilda’s axe and the girl cried out as her forward momentum sent her sprawling to the ground. Edelgard sighed in relief as he axe regained its shape, but her relief was short lived as Hilda swept her feet from under her with a kick.

Edelgard grunted as she crashed down for a frustrating second time and quickly rolled to her feet to avoid an axe attack meant for her ribs.

The princess took off running, using her own Crest to the fullest advantage it could give her without actually activating it as she nimbly and swiftly traversed through the woods. With a Crest like Hilda’s, she needed to be more pragmatic about how she could defeat her seeing as how melee combat was clearly not working.

“Ugh, _Edelgard!_ Why are you making me chase you?” Hilda whined from behind her before the distinct sounds of someone giving chase could be heard.

Edelgard hoped Hilda that the thick amount of trees and the Crest enhanced speed in which Edelgard was running would dissuade Hilda from jumping after her.

It seemed Hilda knew that jumping at such high speed with so many branches in the way was dangerous, thankfully.

Edelgard ran until Hilda could not be heard other than the sound of, “UGH where did you go?! Come. Back!”

Edelgard then let out a surprised gasp and skidded to a stop, pebbles tumbled down the rocky ridge before her and plopped to the rocks beneath. It wasn’t far enough to kill her, and she would break her arm at worst—something a healer could easily fix.

The edges of her lips tilted upwards. Perfect.

Edelgard jumped into the nearest tree and crouched within its canopy of spring coloured leaves, waiting for Hilda to appear.

About a minute later, a panting Hilda ran past. Before she could notice the ridge and stop though, Edelgard had gripped the bough tightly in two hands and swung from it, kicking Hilda in the back and sending her screamingly tumbling down the ridge.

When Hilda fell to the earth, she yelled a loud “OW!” as she facepalmed the dirt. Edelgard cringed at the sound of a broken nose and the awkward way her arm twisted. Perhaps that was a little too extreme.

“Oh, _whoops!”_ Hilda said, raising her head with a pained grin. “Looks like I’m out!” The light heartedness in her voice lessened Edelgard’s guilt considerably as healers immediately came forward and helped Hilda into a stretcher. As she was carted away she yelled, “I’ll be cheering for you, Ignatz!”

Edelgard heard a puffing Ignatz coming from behind, but he didn’t have enough time to reassess the situation before Edelgard had spun around and sent a hard hitting blow to his ribs.

He cried out and slumped against a tree.

Two Deer down, just Claude and Professor Byleth left. Then—somehow—she’d defeat the Lions single handedly.

-o0o-

“Well, this is getting tense,” Jeralt said atop a high ridge to his fellow faculty members and injured/surrendered/on the bench students—basically nobody in particular.

All of them watched the final students in the battle—The three House Leaders.

“I agree! Ooh I’m at the edge of my seat!” Annette beamed as she jumped up and down with clasped hands.

“But...you are not on a seat. You are standing,” a Petra said with a confused frown.

“It’s a figure of speech, Petra. Annette here is just excited,” Dorothea explained simply.

“Oh! I have understandings now. I too am at the edge of my seat!”

“Who do you all think will win?” An eager Flayn asked.

“I say my Lions are preforming _very_ well!” Hanneman said from nearby, getting his previously broken arm (courtesy of Edelgard who jumped from a tree and slammed her axe on it) healed by Manuela who had left the match due to a concussion (caused by a splutteringly apologizing Dimitri who knocked her against a rock jutting from the ground). “Dimitri will certainly win this match for us.”

Manuela snorted. “Please. Edelgard singlehandedly defeated three students! One of which was Felix!”

Hanneman hummed and nodded slowly. “Yes, it is true that defeating Mr. Fraldarius was an impressive act. A Major Crest and a talent for swords and he fell...”

“It wasn’t _singlehandedly_ at all!” Felix snapped with an angry scowl. “I would’ve had her if that damned Claude hadn’t tripped me up—literally!”

“Hey, don’t be too bummed, buddy!” Sylvain said, patting Felix on the shoulder. “You did good! Plus, now you can try some of Mercedes’s treats before everyone eats them!”

Mercedes blushed. “Oh, I’m sure they’re not _that_ great...”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Mercie!” Annette said as she took another cookie from the basket.

A cookie that got stuck in her throat as she and her fellow Lions yelled out in glee after Dimitri took down Edelgard. The Black Eagles groaned and muttered in dismay in contrast and the Golden Deer watched eagerly as Claude alternated from shooting arrows to dodging.

“Yeah! Go, Claude!” Raphael boomed and he and his other peers began to chant, “Fear the Deer! Fear the Deer!”

Claude stopped to give his classmates a grin and a salute before ducking under another blow from Dimitri.

“Come _on_ Boar take him out!” Felix barked.

“You can do it, Your Highness!“ Ingrid called.

“Ooooh I can’t watch!” Ashe cried and covered his eyes.

“Ashe, no! Pay attention or you’ll miss everything!” Annette said and attempted to pry his hands from his face.

“There is no fear. His Highness will not loose,” Dedue said.

“Cocky, aren’t we?” Lorenz drawled. “Please, Claude will be the victor.”

“Is that so, mister Claude-is-Nothing-Special?” Leonie asked with crossed arms.

“Psh. Compared to The Prince and his horrible haircut and stiff technique, Claude _is_ something special.”

“Oh, look in the mirror you big jerk!” Annette exclaimed with her hands on her hips and Lorenz rounded on her with a glare. “My hair is perfectly fine, thank you very much! And so is my technique!”

“And your _reflexes_ too, right, Lorenz?” Lysithea snickered as a bell tingled.

All eyes were quickly drawn to the field as Claude, pinned under Dimitri’s metal boot held up his white flag.

The Blue Lions cheered again and the Golden Deer shrank in disappointment.

“Ashe, open your eyes, Dimitri took down Claude!” Annette said excitedly.

“Yes, but we didn’t loose yet; Professor Byleth is extremely strong!” Ignatz said confidently.

Felix snorted and smirked out at the field. “The Mercenary? She’s nothing.”

“I just hope he doesn’t get hurt,” Marrianne said quietly from the back.

Byleth and Dimitri circled one another, weapons drawn. Dimitri’s eyes were narrowed while Byleth’s were wide open and blank as always.

And they charged at each other, weapons clashing as the two came close and came apart, again and again like a dance with weapons.

Byleth broke the dance stabbed Dimitri in his ribs and Dimitri cried out in pain as he clutched his still sore chest.

“Oh, come on, Dimitri!” Mercedes exclaimed, clasping her hands so tight they turned white.

Byleth watched as he stumbled back, panting for breath. He wiped sweat from his brow before his gaze on Byleth turned molten.

Felix grinned and everyone turned to him curiously at his reaction.

“What? What’s he doing?” Caspar asked.

Felix crossed his arms and leaned back slightly as if wanting to soak the entire scene up. “Winning.”

With a war cry that bounced across every tree in the vicinity, Dimitri charged forward. Byleth charged a well to meet him and that’s when the prince plunged his lance in the dirt and catapulted forward, kicking a surprised Byleth in the face and sending her down with a _thud._

**-o0o-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Nobody:
> 
> Me: TrEe
> 
> There shall be less tree crashing next chapter guys! XD
> 
> Hilda’s Crest was inspired by rubber because laziness plus cheerful personality equals rubber. Trust me.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	7. The Hresvelg Curse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I had the chapter planned out and half-way written before deciding I would save the concept for a later chapter. Thus, I had to rewrite everything from scratch :3
> 
> The scene at this chapter’s beginning was loosely inspired by royaltyjunk’s story “Azure and Crimson”. It’s a cute little fic showcasing his/her interpretation of “what it Dimitri and Edelgard has support convos?” Go give it a read!
> 
> Anyway, a huge thank you to all my readers for all the support thus far and I pray you enjoy the chapter! It’s a lil shorter than the last two but adding on to it ruined the tone when I tried. Next chapter should be longer though!
> 
> Enjoy!

Edelgard tossed her Flame Emperor Mask atop her bed before stripping herself out of the rest of the crimson armour. She had been called to yet another frivolous meeting _immediately_ after the Mock Battle had concluded and hadn’t even consoled her classmates or congratulate the Blue Lions.

Why didn’t the Agarthans do their dirty work? Did Edelgard have to do everything?

Bastards.

Edelgard had just finished latching the trunk containing her armour and sliding it under her bed when she saw a shadow darkening the light underneath her door.

She got up, opened the door, and predictably, Dimitri stood on the other side, fist poised to knock and a surprised look on his face.

“You must be careful; visiting my room so frequently could start some unfavourable rumours, Dimitri,” Edelgard stated as she leaned against the doorframe. A light smile graced her lips as Dimitri’s eyes darted this way and that, searching for witnesses while his cheeks faded pink.

“I’m teasing.”

“Oh! Oh, of course you were. I was just...” Dimitri paused, tugging awkwardly at his collar before holding up his arm out to her. “Do you...sew?”

Edelgard glanced at the torn fabric and rose an eyebrow. “I can. Why do you ask? Can none of your Lions help you?”

“The only one who sews in my House is Mercedes and she’s busy making treats for our victory feast. I’d change but...my three extra tops are being washed. Of course if you’re busy too—“

Edelgard stepped back into her room and gestured Dimitri inside with a quick tilt of her head. “I’m not the greatest when it comes to sewing, but I can help.”

Dimitri smiled gratefully and walked in, sitting on the bed as Edelgard pointed to it.

“Congratulations on your win today,” Edelgard said over her shoulder as she took her sewing supplies from the bottom drawer of her dresser. “That was quite the finishing blow.”

Dimitri flushed once more at the praise and let out a bashful, “Thank you, Edelgard; that means a lot coming from you. Do you sew a lot?”

“No,” Edelgard responded, placing the ivory case atop the bed and clicking open the latches. “It was a skill my older sister taught me and like all skills it has its uses— but I prefer to replace torn clothes rather than sew it back together. It becomes whole again, yes, but it’s never as perfect as it once was.”

Edelgard picked up a spool of black thread and a thin needle before shutting the case again.

Dimitri seemed about to say something for his lips parted and there was a curious furrow to his brows. However, he shook his head seconds later and closed his mouth again while Edelgard began her work.

She pushed the needle in through one half and threaded it through the other, stopping when her gaze found the raised tissue of a scar, dark and vivid against the pale skin of Dimitri’s bicep.

“That’s an old scar,” Dimitri said, noticing her staring. “A burn from the flames of Duscur.”

Edelgard let out a hum of acknowledgement and continued, getting lost in the rhythmic in and out, in and out. It was a bit like dancing.

Perhaps she should sew more often.

“I never thanked you,” Dimitri said quietly.

“For the sewing? I’m not done—“

“I speak of yesterday—more specifically last night.”

Edelgard stopped sewing abruptly and inhaled slowly. Just when she had buried that encounter into her subconscious.

“You didn’t have to defend me from Felix, nor did you have to save me from...my personal folly—yet you did.” Dimitri looked down at her intensely, the finger of his hand tapping nervously atop the mattress and Edelgard could hear the hesitant, questioning subtext in his words.

Edelgard continued sewing, thought carefully of her next words, and said, “Like I mentioned before, I dislike acts of self-deprecation. I also happen to dislike those that feed such actions within others, that’s all.”

The subtext behind _her_ words were sharp enough to cause Dimitri to flinch. Only slightly, but it was still noticeable in the way his exposed muscle tensed and his jaw clenched in an almost painful looking manner.

“I-I see,” Dimitri said, those two words thick and heavy with that now all too familiar Kicked Puppy Voice. He averted his gaze and there was a distinct slump to his shoulders.

But Edelgard wasn’t being completely being honest with Dimitri or herself, was she? No, her personal feelings towards self-deprecation wasn’t all that had spurred her to slap Felix or save Dimitri’s life.

It certainly didn’t explain the wave of indignation that had caused her to verbally and physically protest at Felix’s words, and then the dread that pumped adrenaline through her veins when she saw a teary eyed Dimitri staring down out his window with a glassy barely present gaze.

It was almost like a faraway and buried affection had just—

She sighed softly to herself. This was for the best; as Arundel’s weapon he’d be used until he was useful and then disposed of. Getting close would simply hurt too much once his usefulness inevitably ended and she would _not_ be controlled by pain. Never again.

But still, he needed to know that it wasn’t personal. _She_ didn’t want to fester his horrible case of self-loathing after all.

“You must understand I’m not like you, Dimitri,” Edelgard said finally as she finished sewing and began knotting off. “I can’t simply open my heart to just anyone—“

“But you _aren’t_ just anyone!” Dimitri cried passionately, gripping her sewing hand in an iron grip and causing the needle in her hand to clatter to the wood.

“Dimitri what on—?” Edelgard tried pulling her hand away but Dimitri only squeezed it tighter.

“You—you’re...!” He locked eyes with her and searched her gaze with desperate eyes. Whatever he saw clearly disappointed him however, for his face fell and the grip on her hand slackened enough for Edelgard to yank free.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured as Edelgard rubbed her now bruising wrist with a scowl.

“Do refrain from snatching my hand, Dimitri,” she said irritably before snipping the dark thread and wrapping the excess around the black spool.

Dimitri traced a finger down the threads of Edelgard’s labour and silently watched her pack away the sewing utensils before whispering, “Of course, I know. I just wish you could remember. I wish we weren’t strangers.”

Edelgard placed the case in her drawer and said nothing waiting for Dimitri to leave.

“Why?” He said instead.

Edelgard let out an irritated breath and turned to him with glare. “I _told_ you why. I—“

“No. Why can’t you remember?”

Edelgard faltered, throat closing up as memories of dark cells and needles and artificial lights—memories she had trampled on and shoved to the back of her mind came rushing out, memories that had neatly covered nearly any happiness that had ever existed in her childhood.

“I don’t know,” Edelgard lied, mostly succeeding in keeping the tremor from her voice. She clenched and unclenched her fists, suddenly self-conscious of the scars those silk cloves concealed—what her entire _outfit_ concealed. “I just don’t.”

“I see,” Dimitri quietly, brows furrowed sadly and head nodding in a reassigned manner. “I see.”

A tense silence permeated the small room before with slight hesitation, Edelgard placed a hand on Dimitri’s shoulder and squeezed lightly. “I’m sorry, Dimitri.”

Dimitri glanced at the hand then back at Edelgard. “What must I do? What must I do for you let me in?”

Edelgard stepped back and turned away from him. “I’m not entirely sure that’s possible.”

More silence before Dimitri murmured a, “Thank you again, Edelgard,” And bowed, turned on his heel, and exiting the room as Edelgard’s hand fell to that cursed dagger.

**-o0o-**

Dimitri did not classify himself to be a bookworm. Of course while a good tale or intriguing history book was fine every once and a while, he much more enjoyed the rush of training or horse riding to the stationary practice of looking at words.

But Dimitri _did_ classify himself as a person who couldn’t let others down—especially his loved ones. He also classified himself as one who would rather not dwell on Edelgard’s rejection from earlier that day and balm the sting with some work.

And so even though he should be sleeping or preparing for this moon’s mission, and couldn’t care less about armour pieces, there he was sitting alone in the library. A book of armour sprawled across the table before him and a candle breaking the heavy darkness.

Sighing as he flipped to the final illustration of the book, Dimitri shut it sharply and the sound echoed throughout the library. This one didn’t have any resemblance to the Masked Man’s armour either.

Perhaps the armour wasn’t even documented, perhaps Dimitri was wasting his time. But he needed to do _something._ In all his time at the Monastery, he hadn’t gotten any closer to avenging his loved ones and had even tried throwing his life away!

If only the coward hadn’t been masked; finding him and gutting him would be far easier.

Dimitri took the now useless book and inserted it in its slot within the bookshelf he found it. That armour had to be connected to _something_ certainly? An organization, a person, a particular part of Fódlan, he just needed to properly remember...

...the bright flames and burning flesh and running for his life while—

_No_. Dimitri sucked in a slow breath and squeezed the candle holder so hard that the metal dented under his thumb. Just the armour, _just the armour._

Yes, it was heavy...yet he recalled the wearer had no trouble moving. The two coloured mask was prominent and certainly the colour red—

Red.

Of course!

Dimitri quickly sped-walked over to the history section of the library, fingers gliding over book spines and squinting at the titles through the bobbing candle light, mouthing them silently.

“Here!” He whispered to himself excitedly, gripping and eagerly pulling out a book titled _An Updated History of Adrestia._

Perhaps it was a stretch, perhaps this wasn’t narrowing the search at all, but by the Goddess it was _something_ and he would rather cling to that than nothing at all for the sake of his ~~sanity~~ loved ones.

Dimitri sat back at his desk and opened the book to its index, finger shakily seeking for the word “armour” before flipping to the referenced pages.

It was there that Dimitri’s excitement slowly melted away like the candle wax before him. The Adrestian armour was hardly different from that of Faerghus‘s or the Alliance’s, or even the Church’s. And the only red pieces of armour mentioned in the text were those belonging to the personal guard of the Emperor or Empress.

No mention or illustration of two coloured masks, feathers, or of some special metal that could allow its wearer to move freely—nothing.

Dimitri let out a frustrated growl and slammed his fist atop the desk, uncaring of the splintering would and fighting the urge to grab the book and fling it across the room.

Just when he thought he had something!

Dimitri ran his hand through his hair and sucked in a calming breath before he began flipping at a faster rate, lingering for only seconds on a page before moving on to the next. This couldn’t be it, there _had_ to be something else—

The next page Dimitri flipped to gave him pause.

“El?” He murmured, staring surprisingly at the detailed illustration. It was a younger version of her, the one he remembered, the one with pig tails and eyes filled with stubbornness and childish boredom as opposed to cool indifference and constant calculation.

Eyes that had been filled with affection and recognition for him instead of formal detachment.

Beside her, were equally detailed depictions of young people—the eldest appearing to be in her early twenties and the youngest was a little boy at least five or six.

Above the illustration in bold ominous letters were the words:

**_The Hresvelg Curse_ **

“Curse?” Dimitri repeated. Edelgard had been apart of a...curse?

The Masked Man’s armour temporarily pushed to the back of his mind, Dimitri continued reading.

_Emperor Ionius IX was blessed with twelve children. However, in the Imperial Year 1176, all twelve mysteriously disappeared—a strange thing since the family had been known for their love of travel and commoner interactions. The Emperor never gave an explanation and Adrestia became rather worried for their princes and princesses. None of them returned but one; the young Edelgard von Hresvelg, two years after her and her siblings’ disappearance and very sickly and weak. Nevertheless, she was swiftly made heir apparent._

_There are many speculations about what has happened to the other eleven children but no hard evidence. Some say they were kidnapped and only Edelgard was lucky enough to escape, others claim they all had gotten sick and perished, some also claim that Edelgard herself killed her siblings in a mad power grab for the throne. But the most popular theory is that the Goddess herself passed judgment on Emperor Ionius IX’s seed and cursed them as divine punishment. [See page 530 on the Adrestian’s distasteful dislike towards the Goddess and the Religion of Seiros]_

_Never in recorded Adrestian history has an Emperor or Empress lost so many heirs_ — _especially at such a peaceful and prosperous time. With such poor luck striking the most recent Emperor and speculations that it was the Goddess who had struck him, this tragic turn of events were appropriately dubbed, “The Hresvelg Curse.”_

Dimitri sat back in his chair and balked at the passage in utter horror and disbelief. Eleven siblings, eleven loved ones.

Gone.

“Oh, El...” Dimitri whispered thickly, tracing a finger against the outline of the little girl in the picture.

“I didn’t think anyone else had the admirable habit of visiting the library late.”

Dimitri yelped and swivelled in his seat, finding a familiar smiling figure holding a candle aloft.

“Tomas! I hope this is permitted I—“

“No, no, young man. Don’t you worry; I’m no tattletale!” Tomas smiled kindly and hobbled over with his cane. “Say, what is it that has you up so late?”

“I-I was researching and came across...” Dimitri’s voice trailed off as he turned back to those haunting bold black letters and that innocent little girl who had lost so much in so little time.

Much like himself, he reflected. That fact ushered in a fresh wave of understanding and heart clenching empathy.

“Ahhh,” Tomas nodded, staring solemnly at the text still opened atop the wooden desk. “The HresvelgCurse.”

“I don’t understand—how did I not hear of this? Twelve heirs including El—Edelgard had dissipated into thin air!”

“The heirs of the Adrestian Empire disappeared in the same year your father, King Lambert met his end,” Tomas said. Dimitri flinched at the reminder of his father’s headless corpse and shuddered involuntarily.

“While this is well known in Adrestia, in Faerghus, The death of a beloved king was simply a bigger deal than the disappearance of twelve heirs of another Emporer.”

“Is anyone looking for them?” Dimitri said. “Surely there’s still hope—“

Tomas smiled then, and for a moment his eyes turned an inky black. Dimitri sucked in a sharp breath and blinked.

Tomas was frowning and shaking his head—not smiling, or staring into his soul with horrible eyes. His mind was probably getting tired.

“I fear there is no hope. Four years and no news? They are as good as dead.”

_Dead._

Dimitri looked down at the dead heirs—*children* drawn beside El, feeling immense agony for people he had never even met.

“What had The Emperor done? What had Edelgard done or _any_ of those twelve children do to earn the Goddess’s ire?” Dimitri said, shaking his head in bewilderment.

Tomas chuckled in an uncharacteristicly bitter way.

“Oh, Rhea would not like me saying this young man—no not at all, but the smart of us know that the Goddess cares nothing for us. She will soak in our praise, than ignore our prayers. Give happiness to those who don’t deserve it and take it away from those who do.”

Dimitri frowned, clenching his fists atop the table as Edelgard’s young face flickered hauntingly in the candlelight. “I’m inclined to agree,” he muttered.

“Well!” Tomas chuckled again, and for a moment Dimitri swore he saw those bottomless black eyes again but they were gone once more when he blinked. “What an _interesting_ thing to say, Prince Dimitri.”

**-o0o-**

“It seems Manuela is a rather capable professor when she’s sober,” Edelgard told Hubert as the two packed their writing equipment and books back into their satchels, the Monastery bell ringing merrily in the afternoon. “I’ve never practiced faith magic in a long time but the instruction was extremely helpful.”

“I suppose,” Hubert drawled uncaringly. “But I have no interest in white magic.”

“I’m certain it isn’t the only thing she’s good at. We’re sure to—“

“Edelgard?”

Edelgard was in the midst of packing her ink when she looked up to find Dimitri standing by the Eagle homeroom. He was rubbing his arm awkwardly and his brows were pinched.

Hubert narrowed his visible eye. “Prince Dimitri, your blatant obsession with Lady Edelgard is _nauseating.”_

“Hubert!” Edelgard scolded as Dimitri flinched and looked away, flushing scarlet. Of course Dimitri’s...fascination with her could be mildly agitating, but he didn’t have to say it out loud!

“No, no, he’s right,” Dimitri sighed, stepping into the classroom with a hesitant stride. “Can...we talk? Alone? I promise it won’t take long.”

Edelgard gave Hubert a meaningful sideways glance and he harrumphed before walking out with an air of displeasure, levelling Dimitri with a look of pure disdain as he did so.

“I’m busy this afternoon,” Edelgard said once Hubert was gone. “So if you’re attempting to invite me somewhere—“

“Your siblings,” Dimitri said quietly, taking a seat in the desk next to her.

Edelgard couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped her mouth and the widening of her eyes. Couldn’t stop memories of little Sebastian dying in her arms, strong and protective Agnes cackling madly into the night, Rowen—

Edelgard swiftly regained her bearings and stared at Dimitri with a mask of perfect neutrality, even though her mind was spewing question after question and horrible memory after horrible memory.

“What of them?” Edelgard said cooly, taking a seat as well. She noticed that Dimitri was fiddling with the hem of his sleeve, rocking slightly, biting his lip.

“I-I didn’t know,” Dimitri whispered, words laced with guilt as he reached for her, then stopped. “I didn’t realize...Goddess I’ve been so selfish.”

“Dimitri. How do you—what does my siblings have to do with you being—?”

“I wanted nothing more than to be friends again, for you to open up to me. But...every time it felt like we were going somewhere, you’d pull back. And not once did I assume that—that you were scared.”

_Scared._ Edelgard was anything but scared. Scared was the Edelgard of old; the little girl who cried into her sleeping cot everynight, who watched her beloved siblings die immediately on operation tables, or go mad, or become hopelessly sick, or transform info horrible beasts, who once naively believed the Goddess helped people and begged for her divine aide every night she was dragged screaming towards the cell at the end of the hallway—the cell she knew was filled with horrible—

Edelgard scowled, fists clenching and lips pursing. “Scared? You think me a coward, Dimitri?”

“No!” Dimitri said quickly. “Not all! Perhaps I used the wrong word—apprehensive, timid, cautious—“

“What are you trying to say?” Edelgard said tightly with narrowed eyes.

“I’m not trying to offend I—!” Dimitri stopped, regained himself and then continued slowly, “I had no idea that you...you lost so much already. But I of all people should have sensed that you were in pain; that you weren’t ready to let anyone in and yet I kept _pushing you!_ I—“

Dimitri faltered once more and clenched his fists atop his lap, his blonde hair fell over his face like a golden curtain as he looked down. Edelgard was about to open her mouth to respond when Dimitri looked up again and placed a hesitant hand over her own that rested atop the desk. “Forgive me, Edelgard.”

And then she remembered Father, shedding tears of grief, squeezing her hand as her barely conscious form was cradled in his arms. ” _Forgive me, El. Forgive me. Oh, my poor little girl..”_

Edelgard slowly pulled her hand from under Dimitri’s and struggled to control her breathing. The prince’s words greedily attempted to tear off the elegant wrapping paper of her mask and reveal the memories beneath. Bird masks and blood, begging, crying—

“Enough.” Edelgard stood up sharply and glared at Dimitri, barely controlling the shaking in her voice but in truth she couldn’t tell if she was hissing at her mind or at him. “I don’t _want_ your pity. I don’t _need—“_

“I’m only here to apologize, Edelgard. It was wrong of me to push you,” Dimitri said soothingly, standing up as well and holding up his hands in a placating manner. “Not to pity you, but to apologize. And...to tell you that I will leave you alone from now on.”

Slowly, Edelgard’s glare softened before she closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath, pushing away the vivacious shadows of her past back into the crevices of her mind and beneath her mask where they belonged.

“I...accept your apology,” Edelgard said, opening her eyes once she was certain her mask had returned properly. “Is that all?”

Dimitri smiled in relief and nodded. “That is all.” He turned to leave but hesitated, looking back to ask, “I read they—and you—only went missing. Do you think there’s a possibility—“

“No.” Edelgard clamped down on the memories of eleven pairs of dead unseeing eyes before turning away from Dimitri and continuing to pack.

“I know you said you didn’t want my pity,” Dimitri said quietly. “But...I truly am sorry.”

Edelgard let out a shuddering breath and didn’t answer. Only when she heard Dimitri’s retreating footsteps did she let a few tears rim her eyes. Damn him. Damn him for taking her back! Her vision blurred and a lump formed in her throat as she remembered them all—all eleven of them and how she—

She couldn’t cry; she wasn’t a little girl anymore, and her siblings were gone.

Edelgard frustratedly rubbed away the tears and blinked repeatedly until they disappeared. Another few breaths brought the mask back up and just like that, she was ready to face the world once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Emporer looses ELEVEN CHILDREN and Fódlan is just all “Y’all hear sum?” Unless I missed something, only Edelgard ever mentioned this seriously messed up thing. Ah well, I got a lovely plot point and some character development out of it! Thanks Fódlan!
> 
> Also, I’m not the only one who not once trusted Tomas, right? I dunno if it was my irrational phobia for old-people kicking in or internal character judgment stuff but I didn’t buy his sweet grandpa routine for a DAMN SECOND. And when he was all like “LOOL I was evil the whole time! You were fooled weren’t you? WEREN’T YOU?!” I rolled my eyes so hard they got stuck behind my skull.
> 
> Anywho, I dedicated a lot of time thus far exploring Dimitri’s childhood trauma but I thought it was time Edelgard got some spotlight! Man I actually really loved writing this chapter!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	8. The Unexpected Introductions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This is four days late, I'm sorry! I wanted to post on time but I rewrote this chapter three times before I could accept this baby as my own—you guys deserve proper work!
> 
> Anywho, this was another chapter I enjoyed writing! Though it's kinda short and mostly slice-of-life-ish, I felt it was a nice change of pace—Dima needs to talk to things that aren' t ghosts or Edelgard, y'know?
> 
> Two of my favourite characters in the game are introduced here and I hope y'all like their portrayal!
> 
> Also! This Friday is Valentines' Day and I am VERY excited to show you the ninth and VERY fluffy chapter I have planned!
> 
> Hope you like!

Dimitri awoke with a startled cry as a loud _bang_ vibrated the surface he was sleeping on and assaulted his eardrums.

"You know, Your Highness, I usually don't criticize people on their lifestyle choices but this is something I kinda _have_ to critique you on before you kill yourself," Sylvain said with a frown as Dimitri slowly got over the disorientation he was feeling.

His eyes flickered from the high ceiling to the book shelves and finally down to the desk his head had been resting atop, dried drool covering the wood and part of an open book and a blunt candle sagging solemnly nearby.

Where his head had been resting, Sylvain's palms were firmly planted parallel.

Well, _that_ explained the banging noise.

"I...oh Goddess," Dimitri yawned, rubbing the crust from the corners of his eyes. "I assure you, Sylvain, I had every intention of returning to bed—"

"Yeah _sure._ Even if I did believe that, you're clearly not getting enough sleep—bed or not."

Dimitri sighed and rolled out the crick in his neck. "Dedue told you I was here."

"In case you didn't know, this is a public part of the Monastery. Not popular, but public. Whether Dedue told me or not wouldn't stop someone from finding you," Sylvain said as he rounded the table and wrapped his two arms underneath Dimitri's armpits.

"Now _up_ you go!" He grunted before Dimitri squirmed our of his grip.

"It's a Sunday, Sylvain. I can spend my time however I please," Dimitri said irritably as he returned to his book. He had been...yes he had been looking at armour smiths to see if—

"Oh boy," Sylvain said with a shake of his head. "I know what this is. Come on, Your Highness."

Dimitri tensed at that admission turning to look at Sylvain over his shoulder and allowing himself to be pulled up this time.

"You—you know?" Dimitri asked in a near whisper. Was Sylvain, too haunted by the dead? Was he also carrying the burden of avenging them on his shoulders?

"Withdrawal."

Dimitri blinked slowly. "With...drawal?"

"Or more accurately, Girl Withdrawal," Sylvain said. "You see, pushing away a girl you're yearning for can work to make her yearn for you in equal parts— _but_ that also runs the risk of giving the person who's pushing away _Withdrawal_. For the girl, it's okay; that's the goal! But for the guy, that's a problem."

"...Ah,"

Well, at least he wasn't suffering from Dimitri's plight.

"Sylvain, what exactly are you taking about?" Dimitri questioned, turning to face his friend properly.

Sylvain responded with a dramatic eye roll. "Oh come on, Your Highness, you _know_ what I'm talking about. You haven't spoken to Edelgard in a week and it's driving you crazy!"

Dimitri ran a hand down his face and shook his head. "Sylvain...that is _extremely_ far from the truth."

And indeed it was. Dimitri wanted Edelgard's friendship again—but he also knew how it felt to be pressured and hounded into doing things. Of course Dimitri loved his family...but he would be lying if he didn't admit that loosing hours upon hours of sleep trying to appease them wasn't stressful.

He refused to put Edelgard through that, and so the only conversations they had shared were limited to two words; "Good morning," or "Good night" or "Good afternoon."

"Riiiiight well, either way, this—" Sylvain gestured to the book littered desk. "Isn't healthy. You need a new pastime, and _I_ prescribe, a new girl!"

"A...new girl? Sylvain, you are aware I don't care for Edelgard in that way, yes?" Dimitri asked with a frown. "I just want her to be my friend again—that is when or if she's ready to have me."

Sylvain threw his head back and howled in laughter, an action that was promptly cut off as Tomas called, "Gentleman, this is a library!"

"Sorry, Sir!" Sylvain called back before turning his grinning face back to Dimitri. "You're not serious though, right?"

"Goddess, Sylvain can a boy and a girl not be friends and nothing more?" Dimitri asked incredulously. "Do I and Felix and you have to love Ingrid romantically to properly care for her?"

"Okay, okay, touché. But you're _sure—"_

_"Yes,_ Sylvain."

"Alright but my point still stands though; you need a new hobby, And the best hobby is a girl."

"But...what would a romantic relation offer me? Uncle probably has a long line of noble girls lined up to throw at me anyway," Dimitri said with a twinge of bitterness tugging the corner of his lips downward once more.

Sylvain scoffed and batted a hand through the air. "You don't think my old man has the same thing for me? I didn't say a _romantic relationship_ I said a _hobby."_

Dimitri winced. "I-I don't feel comfortable using someone in that way. Besides, I don't even know how to talk to Edelgard without making a fool of myself, how can I possibly woo a girl I don't even know?"

The Monastery bell rang then, and Sylvain pulled Dimitri closer to his side. "Watch and learn, Your Highness."

Dimitri let Sylvain lead him out of the library and through the Monastery hallways and the prince had to squint as burning bright sunlight beamed through the large windows lining it.

"You see that beauty over there?" Sylvain asked, gesturing with his head towards a brunette Dimitri recognized as Dorothea who was chatting animatedly with a girl with maroon hair pulled into a fishtail braid.

"Which one?" Dimitri asked and Sylvain grinned, elbowing him teasingly in the ribs. "Touché again, Your Highness! But I was referring to the brunette. Now watch as I _rock her world."_

Sylvain confidently sauntered forward and stopped Dorothea, giving his most charming smile. "Well, well, if it isn't the Monastery's most beautiful flower; Dorothea!"

Dorothea gave Sylvain an overly syrupy smile that made Dimitri tense in discomfort. "Save the effort, Sylvain. I won't bite."

Sylvain seemed surprised for split second before he let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, Dorothea, your beauty is as sharp as your wit! You don't have to be so cold with me though, I'm not like the others."

Dorothea patted Sylvain's head before walking around him. "Hmm, I don't doubt it. 'Bye-bye, Sylvain! Come on, Petra."

The other girl—Petra—blinked in confusion at the exchange before following after her friend. Sylvain stared after the retreating duo with wide eyes before looking back at Dimitri.

"Ah...sorry, Sylvain," Dimitri said sympathetically. "You probably didn't want me to see—"

"No, _I'm_ sorry, Your Highness; I'm going to have to cancel our woman lesson today. Dorothea is ice cold and _I love it."_

"Wait...what?" Dimitri said as Sylvain walked briskly away with a serious frown on his face as he pursued Dorothea and Petra.

Well...perhaps this was for the best. Sylvain's suggested "hobby" didn't appeal to Dimitri anyway.

Dimitri turned on his heel to return to the library before catching sight of a girl with pink twin-tails carrying three wooden crates in her arms. She let out a gasp of exertion with every step and after the fifth she cursed a name under her breath.

" _Ugh!"_ She whined before looking up curiously as Dimitri approached.

"Excuse me, do you need help with that?" He asked. Surely he could spare or few moments to help someone in need? With Sylvain off his back, he could always go back to research when he was done.

The girl's face brightened. "Aw, thanks!" She said, facing Dimitri so he could take a crate off her load.

"Goddess that makes a difference! Thanks again," The girl said as the two continued their walk down the hallway. "I'm Hilda, by the way."

"Dimitri," The prince responded with a smile. "Where are we taking these?"

"The Golden Deer classroom, Professor's orders," Hilda sighed.

"Huh," Dimitri said, giving the crate a tiny shake. "I wonder what's in them?"

"Probably some torture device! She is _brutal!_ Did you know she rigged some dummies with ketchup one time? _Without_ telling us? My classmate Ignatz shot it with an arrow in the neck and it just _exploded."_

Just the image made Dimitri wince as they made their way down the steps. "That must've been...shocking."

"It was!" Hilda cried passionately. "Poor guy was screaming for a minute straight."

Dimitri frowned before asking, "Do you like Professor Byleth?"

Hilda sighed, and shifted the crates in her arm with an exerted grunt. "Well—"

"Hold on, give me another; I'm stronger than I look," Dimitri suggested and the loud and dramatic whoop of relief Hilda made caused him to smile in amusement.

Hilda placed her remaining crates atop of Dimitri's and took the top for herself. "You're a real saint, you know that?"

Dimitri chuckled softly and shook his head. "Me? No."

"I'm serious! I would've tripped and dropped all these dumb boxes if you hadn't come!"

"I...still disagree, but thank you for the praise," Dimitri said as their little journey continued out of the Monastery.

"Now, about Professor Byleth—she's creepy and like I said _super_ brutal. She also works us _way_ too hard but, I can't say I hate her. We're learning and that's the point right?"

"You certainly can't argue that," Dimitri agreed.

The duo entered the Golden Deer classroom at last and placed the mysterious crate atop the teachers' desk.

"Thanks again for all your help, Dimitri," Hilda beamed. "I promise to make it up to you."

"No, no, no! You don't have to," Dimitri insisted. "I'm just glad I could help you."

"I guess it _would_ be easier to _not_ give you something," Hilda mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Buuut I'd feel so guilty about it!"

Dimitri awkwardly fiddled with his collar and gave an encouraging smile. "Well...I suppose if it makes you feel better. A-anyway, I must be off." Dimitri bowed lightly and Hilda gave a friendly wave as he made his way back to the library.

Alright it hadn't been _too_ much of a detour, and he had even met someone new! Now then, back to work—

Dimitri paused as his stomach gave an unhappy gurgle and he patted it with a frown. On second thought, he hadn't had breakfast yet, had he? It wouldn't do for the thinking process if he was hungry...

' _One more detour, one more and I'll go back to research,'_ Dimitri vowed to himself as he went to visit the Dining Hall for a quick brunch. Much to his surprise however, the Hall was completely empty.

Well, he supposed that worked in his favour.

Dimitri turned to the empty line and glanced at the menu card tacked to the wood; fish cakes, fish smoothies, fish wraps—

"Boy, save your money," the server behind the wooden counter said darkly. She wore a white apron and cropped sandy hair adored her head as she gave Dimitri a serious look.

"Ah, well. I missed breakfast unfortunately and I'm rather hungry." Dimitri said.

"You're not hungry," the server insisted. "Wait 'till tomorrow; Mercedes is making stuff."

Dimitri blinked in confusion at the woman. "I...don't understand why you're so insistent of me not eating, fish wraps sound good."

"No, no, _no,_ " the server hissed, leaning forward so close to Dimitri that he had to lean backwards with wide eyes. "Take your coin purse and _run_ before—!"

"Oh! Has someone come to eat my food?" An excited voice chirped.

The server leaned back in sighed, shaking her head sadly. "It's too late for you. You won't be able to resist those sad little doll eyes."

"I'm still confused..."

The server didn't respond but handed Dimitri a brown paper bag.

"Wha—?"

"Take it. Trust me."

Before Dimitri could respond, a girl in a ribbon adorned outfit and curled sea green twin tails skipped out of the kitchen. "Oh, Prince Dimitri! How lovely, have you come to try my food?"

"I have, actually! Are there any fish wraps left?" Dimitri asked, taking out his coin bag. The server shook her head and sighed before entering the kitchen with a squealing green haired girl in tow and came out with...

...Dimitri was unsure what it was. It _looked_ like pieces of wet torn bread placed atop a burnt pile of...something but that couldn't be right; he had asked for—

"Ta-da! Your fish wrap!" The girl said and placed the plate atop a tray.

Dimitri placed three coins down and was about to take the tray when the server woman placed two full glasses of orange juice atop his tray as well.

"Oh, I didn't order—"

"Take it."

"Alright...how much is—?"

_"Take it."_

The girl gave the server a hurt look as a perplexed Dimitri sat with his food. It was clearly burnt and the "wrap" part was a complete advertising lie but...

Dimitri took his fork and pushed it inside of the charred meat just as the girl plopped down and leaned forward on her elbows with wide hopeful eyes.

The fork hovered before his mouth before Dimitri smiled in realization. "Ah! You're Seteh's sister, are you not?"

"That I am! Flayn, at your service! I do hope you enjoy my wrap, I spent an incredibly long time with it," Flayn said optimistically.

Dimitri took a bite, and of course he couldn't _taste_ it but he rather adored the texture, and the passion practically leaped off the dish!

"Well?" Flayn asked anxiously. "Do you like it?"

"This is..." Dimitri smiled brightly. "Perhaps one of the best dishes I've ever had!"

Flayn clapped her hands together in giggled happily as the server looked at Dimitri as if he had grown two heads.

Within moments, the food was done and Dimitri said, "I think, I will have seconds."

"Oh! Well if you loved this so much you _must_ try my fish cakes!" Flayn cried. "I've even made a fish smoothie and...!"

As Flayn continued to gush about her food, Dimitri saw a familiar figure standing by the doorway.

Lambert. Eyes narrowed, mouth twisted into a scowl...

"U-um," Dimitri forced a smile, quickly stood and walked towards the counter again. "Can I take it to go? In this lovely paper bag I've been given?"

"That wasn't—that wasn't its purpose!" The server woman exclaimed indignantly.

"Oh! Is there another container for leftovers?"

The server woman shook her head and took the bag from Dimitri. "You are one strange boy, you know that? Very odd!"

**-o0o-**

"Thank you," Edelgard politely told one of the Seiros Knights. The man saluted before continuing his patrol of the perimeter.

"This bodes well for us," Edelgard told Hubert as they continued their walk through the courtyard. "The Holy Mausoleum will be open during the Rite of Rebirth two moons from now."

"That will not guarantee it will be unprotected," Hubert pointed out. "We will need a diversion."

Edelgard nodded thoughtfully in agreement. The Holy Mausoleum, as the name suggested was an important place to Seiros and by extension certainly everyone in the faith—even if it were temporarily open for public viewing there would certainly be guards to deter would-be grave robbers.

What they needed was a threat to something else—something more important than an ancient tomb.

Edelgard looked up and found The Archbishop staring from her balcony, a serene smile on her face.

Or perhaps some _one._

Edelgard turned back to Hubert and said, "I may have an idea. Ensure our other plans go off without a hitch."

Hubert bowed elegantly, stated a quick, "Of course, Lady Edelgard," and strode in an opposite direction of her's.

It took only a minute to get to the library where Edelgard found Tomas tidying up a littered table. When she approached, the man smiled with faux warmth and said, "Edelgard, dear! Long time no see, I was just cleaning up after our little Pet Prince."

The inexplicable stab or indignation Edelgard felt manifested itself by way of a scoff. "So he's a _pet_ now? What happen to _weapon?"_

Tomas chuckled in amusement as he slid a book back in its rightful place. "A loyal attack dog is a _very_ good weapon, Edelgard. Now, I know you didn't come to talk about little boys."

"No," Edelgard agreed, much too glad to change the subject. "In two moons time the Holy Mausoleum will be open to the public."

Tomas paused while picking up another book, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face before he shrugged and continued his actions. "That does not matter, it will still be guarded with Seiros scum."

"That is why I need your help," Edelgard said, taking a seat at the desk and fingering the wick of the melted candle. "Perhaps one of you could make an anonymous threat on the Archbishop's life, strengthen security on her and thus leave the Mausoleum open for the savaging?"

"Don't be a fool," Tomas chuckled. "There's no guarantee that wouldn't make our job harder—they may strengthen security around The Archbishop but that doesn't mean they won't do the same for The Holy Mausoleum, especially on such a holiday as the Rite of Rebirth."

Edelgard frowned and sighed. "That...is true. But—"

"Leave the detailed planning to us, I'd feel more comfortable if something this important were in the hands of...trustworthy individuals." Tomas smiled again and Edelgard rolled her eyes and got up. "Fine. Just get the job done."

Tomas cackled and shook his head. "Why, are you giving me orders? You may request, you may _beg_ but you may not order me."

Edelgard chose not to answer as she took her leave. Tomas—Solon—had always been the most skeptical of her. Not without good reason of course—she could give him that, but it did make planning rather annoying at times.

"Say, Edelgard," Tomas called as Edelgard was about to exit the library. The princess glanced over her shoulder and rose a questioning eyebrow.

"It seems Young Dimitri is digging into the Tragedy of Duscur, if these books are any indication," Tomas said and Edelgard tensed. "It's fair to assume you haven't told him the circumstances of the incident?"

Edelgard turned to face Tomas head on. "I haven't, do you expect me to?"

"That's the problem, Edelgard; I _do_." Tomas slammed the next book into the shelf so hard it created an echoing _thud_ sound as it hit against the wood of the shelf's back. "And I'm sure you know this already but...if Dimitri knew the truth he would certainly come after us."

Edelgard frowned and opened her mouth to respond but was effectively cut off as Tomas rose a silencing hand and continued. "And I am aware you're going to say—" Tomas transformed into a replica of Edelgard and whipped "her" hair. "—Don't be foolish, Solon. I need you bastards."

Edelgard scoffed and crossed her arms as he morphed back into his Tomas guise. "How mature of you."

"Maturity aside, I'm afraid I just don't trust you as much as the others do, Dear...so I'll kindly remind you that dogs can be—and must be—replaced if they become disloyal to their masters."

Edelgard swallowed the angry bile that rose in her throat before letting out a dark laugh. "It says a lot about the actions of you that you worry about my resolve."

"It says a lot about _you_ that you're bold enough to rudely demand things from me when me and my people control the fates of everything you hold dear." Tomas countered with another fake smile. "Who's keeping your weak father's heart beating? Us! Who's allowing you to keep that brooding mage around? Us! Who has the cure to your ailment—"

"The ailment that _you_ gave—!"

" _Us!"_

Edelgard clenched her fists so tightly they shook and took in several deep breaths to cool the rising heat in her blood as Tomas continued.

"Which is a fairly annoying number of strings to attach to a puppet to keep them in line. You see, it it were up to me, you wouldn't have such sway. I have lived too long under Fódlan's dirt to jeopardize our salvation by entrusting it to an insolent little girl but what Thales says goes, so I must remind you of your place, _Dear."_

Edelgard scoffed and spun away on her heel. "Do you honestly believe threatening me will prevent me from killing you when you're inconvenient?"

"Again, Edelgard, _I do."_

"Hmph. And if Dimitri figures it out on his own? What then?"

"Obviously, Dear; he still dies!" Tomas cackled.

Edelgard sent one last glare over her shoulder before leaving the room. This lead her to nearly crash into Dimitri who was entering the library—a heavy bag that was soaked in grease and smelled of burnt food in his grasp.

"Edelgard," he said with mild surprise before smiling and saying, "Good morning."

"Morning," she responded as Dimitri continued into the library.

It was strange not having Dimitri try to start a conversation with her—strange but not unwelcome. Edelgard was rather pleased he had given her some space—for both their sakes.

"Dimitri, my boy! Back again?"

"Hello, Tomas! I'm sorry for the mess last night I—"

"Never fear, Never—is that supposed to be food?"

"It is! Flayn made some, would you like?"

"...no."

With a deep breath, Edelgard continued onwards, silently hoping Dimitri's little revenge hobby wouldn't get himself killed.

**-o0o-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I'm sorry but I physically cannot write a purely sunshine and rainbows chapter ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> Anyway! Next chapter will be longer and also posted on Valentines' Day, SO! GET EXCITED!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	9. The Throned Rose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: 
> 
> *Shimmies into the room* 
> 
> Hel-LO my friends! Welcome to the Valentines’ Chapter I’m excited to show you! 
> 
> Most everything I want to say is at the end, SO the only thing I want to add is y’all better send me some virtual gifts because my b-day is tomorrow and if you don’t send one I WILL forever never post another chapter again! >:D 
> 
> I’mjokingIwouldneverbethatpetty
> 
> Welp! Hope you enjoy!

Edelgard sat back in her vanity chair with a pleased sigh as she looked down at her finished analysis on the differences, similarities, pros, and cons of Faith Magic versus Reason Magic.

Five pages full of neat and elegant letters with the most sensationally beautiful words Edelgard could think of—Manuela would certainly appreciate this, whether sober or not.

She was in the midst of yawning into her palm when three quick knocks and three long ones lightly rapped the back of her door.

Edelgard frowned in curiosity and called, “Yes?” As she slipped her previously bare hands back into her silk gloves. It couldn’t be Dimitri—not only had he given her some much needed space thus far but the knock was rhythmic rather than hesitant and, it couldn’t be Hubert either; his knocks were straight to the point and brief.

” _Eeedie!”_ A sing-song-voice called from the other side of the door.

Well, there was her answer.

Sighing, Edelgard stood and opened the door to reveal a familiar smiling songstress. “Good evening, Dorothea. Can I help you?”

“On the contrary, I think _I_ could help _you,”_ Dorothea said. “Me and Ingrid are going for a little night out in town and I think you need some good old girl time! Come with?”

Edelgard shook her head. “I’m afraid I’m busy.”

“Busy!” Dorothea repeated as if she hadn’t understood the word. She placed her fists upon her hips and gave Edelgard a sad pout. “Edie, Manuela hasn’t given us homework all week and you weren’t assigned any chores—what could you _possibly_ be busy doing?”

Before Edelgard could answer, Dorothea peeked into her room and frowned at the pages atop the princess’s vanity.

“Hold on...are you writing a book?”

“What? No! It’s a detailed analysis on Faith and Reason Magic,” Edelgard corrected and Dorothea blinked in confusion.

“Goodness. Since when were we assigned _that?”_

“We weren’t, but comparing the two was on the syllabus Seteth provided me so I—“

“Wait, wait, wait, _wait,”_ Dorothea said, holding up her hands and stepping back in horror. “Are you telling me you’ve been blowing me off for almost an entire month because you’re busy _doing work we weren’t even be assigned?”_

Edelgard rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Do put it bluntly; yes.”

” _Edie!”_ Dorothea cried, positively aghast as she placed a shocked hand atop her chest.

“Dorothea, with all due respect you wouldn’t understand my situation,” Edelgard said. “I’m not only a student at the Officer’s Academy but the Heir Apparent to the Adrestian throne; I must prove myself here and now by projecting a disciplined image through my grades and work ethic—“

“Even princess need a break!” Dorothea cried. “Come on, Edelgard; your grades aren’t going to slip just because you do work at the same time as the rest of us! You’re the top of this year’s entire class by a _wide_ margin.”

Seeing Dorothea was not about to see where she was coming from, Edelgard stepped back into her room and placed her hand on the door.

“My mind is made. Have fun on your—“

“Edelgard,” Dorothea said with a sharp voice and a scowl. “You are _going_ to go out with your friends!”

“I don’t even _know_ Ingrid and I’d hardly call you and I _friends_ ,” Edelgard huffed.

Dorothea crossed her arms and said, “I know we aren’t friends now, Edie, but how can we _become_ friends if you keep to yourself constantly?”

“I don’t want, nor do I need friends. Good evening again, Dorothea,” Edelgard said tightly as she shut the door.

Dorothea seemed about to say something else but the door was closed before she could.

Now then, where was she?

Edelgard picked up the finished pages of her analysis and made sure they were in the right order before Dorothea said in a suspiciously sly voice, “Alrighty, Edie. If it’s Manuela you’re trying to impress...”

Her voice trailed off ominously before the sound of a cheerfully hummed tune and the click of heels on marble could be heard.

“That girl,” Edelgard sighed, hitting the bottoms of the pages against the vanity to straighten them out. She didn’t dislike Dorothea, and _of course_ going out with girls her age would be fun but...she already had her father, Hubert, and even her own well-being dangled over her head by Those who Slithered in the Dark.

And...well there was whatever she felt for Dimitri too.

She didn’t dislike him either—in fact it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that she in fact liked him (purely platonically of course), and though he wasn’t her friend, Solon still believed he was important enough to her to threaten, and there was no denying Edelgard didn’t want Dimitri to die.

She didn’t want _any_ innocents to die if she could help it—not strangers, and certainly not people she personally knew. And if Solon or any of his fellow _rats_ saw her hanging out with someone, they too would unknowingly be tangled up in something greater and darker than they anticipated. Much like Father.

Much like Dimitri.

**-o0o-**

“Good morning, my dear Eagles!” Manuela chirped brightly as she entered class the next morning. “I have a _special_ little thing for you all today. Caspar?”

“Ooh, ooh! Are we finally going to spar each other?!” The teal haired boy asked in excitement, hand waving in the air as he half-stood in his seat.

Manuela chuckled and placed her omnipresent flask atop the teachers’ desk as she shuffled the stack of papers in her hand. “No, Caspar, no sparring. I have something even better.”

She then began handing out the pages one by one, the faces of the Eagles ranging from confusion to annoyance. As the paper was placed on Edelgard’s desk, she just...stared.

**_Test of Love! Time: 30 minutes_ **

The only time Manuela had given them things outside of the syllabus was the first class where she was hopelessly tipsy—the essay she had demanded hadn’t even been handed in because she had proclaimed twenty minutes after during lunch that drunk given homework did not count.

But...Manuela wasn’t tipsy or drunk here, so that meant this test _did_ count. And—

“Edelgard?” Manuela acknowledged, as the girl rose her hand sharply in the air.

“Professor, this isn’t in the syllabus.”

Manuela hummed and placed in hourglass atop the table. “So it’s not. Begin!” She said, flipping it over.

Edelgard inhaled slowly as she looked back down at the test with quickly mounting dread, already seeing her impeccable track record shatter like glass in her mind’s eye.

And all for a foolish test on love.

That being said, it was a multiple choice test—surely she could get _something_ right?

Edelgard dipped her quill in ink and tapped the excess off before turning to the first question

_**Question 1: What is the ideal way to confess your love to someone?** _

_**A. Orally** _

**_B. A love letter_ **

**_C. A grand romantic gesture_ **

This—this was purely subjective! How was Edelgard supposed to answer this correctly?!

With heavy sigh, she circled “A” and continued to the next question.

As the test continued, the questions became more and more nebulous such as:

**_Question 5: What is the ideal rose colour to give to a lover?_ **

Or

**_Question 39: How does falling in love feel like?_ **

Still, Edelgard circled her answers and hoped desperately for the best.

“Time!” Manuela called. “Drop your quills, children!”

Edelgard placed her quill down and hid her anxiously twiddling thumbs underneath her desk as the tests were all collected.

This was terrible! Edelgard couldn’t remember a single point in time where she was this scared to have her test corrected. Usually she was excited, proud, to show off her mental capabilities.

But now...

Manuela dipped her quill into red ink and began correcting the tests in between sips of alcohol. And after five agonizing minutes, she rested the quill in the inkwell and sighed dramatically.

As she took another drink, she slammed the flask down and picked up the stack of papers.

“Before I end this class today, I would like to remind all of you that you are _late teens_ how can none of you properly understand the subtlety and complexities of love!?” Manuela cried as she slapped paper after paper atop each Black Eagles’s desk.

“Bernadetta! Your page is blank!”

“I didn’t know what to put and I panicked!” Bernadetta wailed as a paper sporting nothing but a bold red 0/100 was slapped on her desk. “What’s so good about dumb relationships anyway? We should all just hide in our rooms where it’s safe from heartbreak!”

“Lindhart! _did you even try?”_

“No,” Lindhart deadpanned as he uncaringly watched a page being slapped in front of him.

“All of you have either done horribly, or have wallowed in mediocrity! Love is wasted on the young I say! A multiple choice test! How did you fail a _multiple choice test!?”_

Manuela slapped a paper on Edelgard’s desk that had a red 15/40 on it. The princess gaped in horror at such a low score. How was this even possible? She couldn’t be _that_ incompetent could she?!

“Well, actually there were _two_ who didn’t disappoint me. Dorothea love, I expected nothing less,” Manuela smiled as she handed Dorothea her page. “And Hubert! I am pleasantly surprised.”

Edelgard choked on her saliva and turned a wide eyed gaze to her retainer the same time everyone else did.

“Simple physiological thought processing,” Hubert drawled with a pleased smile. “Understand the universal needs of the human mind and you understand love.”

“Ugh, leave _you_ to make love sound so simple,” Dorothea said dramatically as she rolled her eyes.

“It _is_ simple,” Hubert snorted.

“Honestly, Hubie. Please don’t ruin love for the rest of us, yes?”

Before their argument could continue, the Monastery Bell sounded and the Black Eagles with exception of Edelgard got up. The princess had turned back to her paper and was too busy staring horrified at the terrible score before her.

Ferdinand looked over her shoulder and beamed. “HA! I, Ferdinand von Aiger have finally beat the almighty Edelgard von Hresvelg in the art of homework! YES!”

“You don’t need to rub it in!” Edelgard snapped testily as she shoved her paper into her satchel and followed after Ferdinand as he walked out with a spring in his step.

“Edelgard, hold on a moment,” Manuela said and Edelgard’s heart sank.

“Professor?” Edelgard said as she stopped before the teachers’ desk and kept up her comfortable mask to hide the guilt and shame from her face.

“It’s a shame to see work like this from you; so smart with things like weaponry, magic and attack formations but oh so foolish in the ways of love,” Manuela sighed, staring solemnly at the alcohol in her flask as she swished it around.

“Apologies, My Teacher,” Edelgard said, forcing the embarrassed flush from her cheeks. “I’ll—“

“Tell you what,” Manuela said. “You’re a good student Edelgard, and I hate giving you such a horrible score, so...”

Manuela placed a sealed letter atop the desk. “Go ahead, open it!”

Edelgard picked the delicate pink letter and gently pried the seal. Within were two equally pink tickets decorated in vivid red hearts.

“I...don’t understand,” Edelgard frowned. “What is this?”

Manuela chortled and took a sip from her flask. “You’ve never seen tickets before?”

“Of course I know what a ticket is,” Edelgard said with a deeper frown of indignation. “I just don’t understand what their for—that is to say, why are you giving me these?”

“Let’s call it extra-credit,” Manuela said with a smile. “Take a special someone—Not Hubert—to this play and write in detail your experience. Do that well and you can keep your straight “A” track record! As an added bonus you also get to experience some real romance so, win-win.”

Edelgard stared at the tickets, then back at Manuela, this time not being able to stop her emotions from pouring out of her mask.

Why was she being forced to do this? How and _why_ did Manuela have this _extra-credit_ planned out—

Edelgard scowled as the answer hit her. Dorothea.

“I...accept,” Edelgard said before exiting the classroom. “Good luck, sweetie!” Manuela called.

“Hey, Edie!” Dorothea greeted oh-so-innocently as soon as Edelgard’s boots hit the grass.

Edelgard gave the brunette a sideways glare as she continued walking. “I know you schemed this.”

“Guilty as charged, but I knew if _I_ couldn’t convince you, Professor Manuela could,” Dorothea smiled sweetly as she casually inspected her nails and followed. “I _also_ knew you’d be struggling with a quiz that wasn’t on the syllabus since you couldn’t peek ahead.”

Edelgard’s scowl deepened as she clenched the envelope tighter in her hand. It seemed she had underestimated Dorothea greatly.

“And I talked to Manuela about it and she agreed that you needed some time off,” Dorothea finished.

Edelgard sighed. Of course Manuela was in on this too. “But it’s not time off; it’s extra-credit and a healthy dose of manipulation,” She said in annoyance.

“Only because you were so gosh darn stubborn, Edie! Go on, invite someone out!” Dorothea elbowed Edelgard and she rolled her eyes.

“I’m not allowed to invite Hubert; who else am I meant to ask?”

“Edie, you are gorgeous, smart, talented, and a _princess._ Just pick someone and they’ll go out with you in a heartbeat! Anyway, I’m off! Ta-ta!”

As Dorothea sauntered off, Edelgard turned back to the envelope of tickets. If she couldn’t invite Hubert...who else could she possibly invite?

The image of Dimitri popped into her head and she immediately dispelled it. No that wouldn’t do, it certainly had to be someone else but...who?

Other than Hubert and Dimitri, who exactly had Edelgard had a friendly conversation with? She supposed she could just turn around and ask Dorothea to go with her _but_ as petty as it was, Edelgard was still mildly peeved that the songstress had orchestrated a way to force the princess to bask in frivolity.

Ferdinand was also a definite no, and Edelgard wasn’t familiar with any other Eagles so that once again left Dimitri—unless she swallowed her pride and got Dorothea anyway...

No...she didn’t feel like it.

Determined look upon her face, Edelgard marched to the Blue Lions homeroom.

**-o0o-**

“This is ridiculous,” Felix sneered from his desk in the Blue Lions classroom as Hanneman explained their upcoming mission for the quickly ending month. “We’re guarding a village? There’s no guarantee we’ll be fighting anyone!”

“Felix, it’s not about fighting, it’s about helping people,” Ingrid scolded. “I for one think it’s a great idea Lady Rhea is giving us a peaceful introduction to these missions; the fact that we shouldn’t be killing anyone makes it easier.”

“‘Peaceful Introduction’ _my ass_ The Golden Deer are fighting _bandits!”_ Felix complained. “Bandits that nearly killed The Boar and his princess—why couldn’t we fight _them?_ They seem like an actual challenge!”

“Let’s just be glad for what we have and make the most of it, okay?” Mercedes suggested sweetly. She patted Felix’s head and he knocked it away with a growl.

A part of Dimitri silently agreed with Ingrid—he had no desire to paint his hands red so soon after the last time. Though another, darker part of him agreed with Felix. That part wanted to ring the necks and spill the blood of the fools who felt they could hurt El and get away with it.

But he supposed it didn’t need to be he that disposed of the bandits—the Golden Deer were an exceptional group of students after all, especially their Professor Byleth, surely they’d avenge Edelgard for him.

“I believe you should listen to your classmates, Felix. Never wish for the horror of battle,” Hanneman said as he straightened his monocle. “That being said, just because we’re defending a village this month doesn’t mean we won’t be stopping a rebellion the next! So don’t be too disappointed, alright, my boy?”

Felix grumbled a half-hearted, “Whatever,” before the bell rang.

“Well, that’s all for today! Remember to train hard, there’s only a few days before the mission after all!”

As the classroom dispersed and Dimitri was packing away his books and writing utensils, Sylvain let out a sly, “Well, well, _well!”_

Dimitri looked at his friend curiously as he grinned and nudged him in the side. “Look who’s here, Your Highness! The girl of your dreams!”

Dimitri rolled his eyes. “Sylvain, what are you going on ab— _Edelgard?”_

The Prince stared shocked at Edelgard as she stood at the Blue Lion’s doorway. Her mask was on once more and she had and envelope clutched in both hands.

“I—what are you do—I-I mean, Good Morning!” Dimitri quickly dipped into a bow to hide the flustered red of his face as Sylvain snickered.

“I’ve come to extend an invitation,” Edelgard answered. Dimitri stood once more and found the girl walking towards him, hand extended and a ticket between two fingers. “Manuela has given me tickets to a play and I wondered if you’d like to accompany me?”

“Tickets? Play? Manuela? M-me?” Dimitri spluttered.

“Those...were some words I used in inviting you, yes,” Edelgard said slowly before sighing. “Do you want to go or not?”

“Yes! I-I mean, are you sure—?”

“I wouldn’t have invited you if I wasn’t,” Edelgard assured him.

“O-oh right! Of course that makes...sense!” Dimitri said, taking the ticket and squinting at the imprinted date. “Oh! It’s tonight?”

“What?” Edelgard demanded in shock, snatching a second ticket from the envelope and reading and re-reading the date before looking at Dimitri’s. “I...had no idea. If it’s too late notice—“

“No, no! I’ll come!” Dimitri said quickly. “Thank you for inviting me.”

Edelgard nodded as her pristine mask returned and she said, “Fishing Pond at dusk?”

Dimitri smiled and nodded. “Of course! I’ll be there.”

Edelgard gave him a tiny smile before she left the classroom, Dimitri staring at the ticket and rubbing it between his fingers as if it were the most precious thing in all of Fódlan. Was this it? Was El—?

Or would it be selfish to—?

But she had said—

Sylvain whistled. “She totally asked you on a date.”

“Hmm? Oh no, Sylvain,” Dimitri said, breaking out of his trance with a quick shake of his head. “It’s clearly just a friendly outing.”

“Buuuut, she got the tickets from _Professor Manuela_ and the tickets have hearts on it, _and_ the title is...”

Sylvain gestured dramatically to the bold cursive letters Dimitri hadn’t seen due to the euphoria and mixed emotions that had frazzled his head: “ _Searching for Love”._

“So? Just because Professor Manuela has other motives doesn’t mean they align with Edelgard’s,” Dimitri frowned. “I thought we already had this discussion, Sylvain?”

“Okay, okay, I’ll drop it. _But!”_ Sylvain clapped a heavy hand atop Dimitri’s shoulder. “I’m helping you get ready.”

Dimitri gave his friend what he hoped was a Not-at-all-Worried smile.

-o0o-

Dorothea was an evil manipulator indeed.

Had she _meant_ to disorientate and fluster Edelgard? Had she _meant_ for her to worry about an outfit when she had the continent’s future atop her shoulders? Because by Fódlan she had certainly done it!

Edelgard currently hated herself for staring despondently at her open closet after confirming that her dresser drawers were useless in terms of appropriate outfits as well; there were only uniforms and one overly fancy dress. When was the last time she had shopped?

Edelgard cursed the dress code of the school—had she not been forced to wear a uniform she wouldn’t have such a mediocre clothing selection!

“Oh, Edie!” Dorothea’s muffled voice chirped from outside her bedroom door.

“Dorothea,” Edelgard responded in barely veiled agitation.

“I got you a little something!”

Edelgard closed her closet doors and open her bedroom one to find a beaming Dorothea holding up a red dress. “Bought it for you yesterday for this very occasion!”

Edelgard looked at the dress and frowned. Dorothea had bought the dress _yesterday_ , knowing that Edelgard would loathe having anything less than perfection mar her final grade and would accept Manuela’s terms.

She had truly underestimated Dorothea and her own predictably, something she would have to remedy. Now though, she took the dress gingerly and backed into her room.

“Hope you like it! It just screamed _you_ you know?”

It didn’t scream _Edelgard_ by any stretch of the imagination.

The dress itself was fine—pretty even, but it certainly didn’t take into account her...deformities.

There were no straps, thus Edelgard’s scarred shoulders were left exposed, as was the dark prominent wound that ran from below her collarbone to between her breasts thanks to the sweetheart neckline.

And there were her legs to worry about; the scars there weren’t as deep as the ones on her chest, back and shoulders, but they were still very much visible pink lines of pain proudly showcased by the dress’s mid-thigh length.

“Edie? Are you dressed yet?”

“I—yes I’m just going to add a few more accessories.”

“Ooh! I’m excited!”

When Edelgard did step out finally, Dorothea’s excited smile faded. “Oh, Edie, you covered everything up!”

”That is a gross overstatement,” Edelgard frowned because it _was._ The black cropped long sleeved bolero buttoned over her chest had effectively covered her arms and shoulders while the white tights she wore covered her legs. Other than that though, the dress was the same as it was before.

“I guess the tights are fine but...you covered up the best part of the dress! That neckline would have looked fantastic on you, _and_ your date wouldn’t be able to take their eyes off you.”

“My goal isn’t to entice, my goal is to get that extra-credit,” Edelgard said firmly. “Now, thank you for the dress but I must be—“

“You have to show _some_ skin!” Dorothea insisted, taking Edelgard’s hands in hers. “Come on, at least take _these_ off.”

Edelgard was then struck with a bolt of horror and panic as Dorothea pinched the tip of her gloves and attempted to tug.

_“Leave it!”_ Edelgard exclaimed in a rage filled snap as she tore her hands from Dorothea’s grip.

“Oh! Edelgard I didn’t—I’m sorry!” Dorothea stammered as Edelgard stormed passed her.

_’Control your breathing,’_ she told herself firmly as adrenaline pumped her heart viciously and caused her limbs to quiver. If she showed up looking like this, Dimitri would no doubt question her, and what would she say? “ _Dorothea tried to remove my gloves and I panicked,”_? Then he’d ask about her reaction and she would have to shut him down and the mood of the night would be ruined with lingering secrets.

No. She was being forced to do this, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy herself.

And so with that thought, the all too familiar mask slipped back on as she exited the Monastery and cool night air played with her hair.

**-o0o-**

“Why is it so...empty?” Dimitri questioned as he and Edelgard sat in their assigned seats within the dark theatre. He could only count ten people out of the hundreds of velvet and wood seats.

“It’s a little early,” Edelgard said. “Although I am a slight bit worried; this is a pretty awful turn up for a debut. The pre-showcase reviews might have been bad.”

“Oh, I don’t read reviews,” Dimitri chuckled, batting his hand through the air.

“No?” Edelgard asked, turning to him with a curious look.

“It’s...childish but I stopped looking at reviews after a horrible adaptation of ‘The Sword of Kyphon’ was made. It completely degraded an outstanding piece of literature and the reviewers seemingly didn’t care!” Dimitri exclaimed passionately before clearing his throat and leaning back in his seat. “Did you read any reviews?”

Edelgard shook her head. “This was a spur of the moment event; I didn’t have the time and so I’m just as blind as you are to what’s to come.”

The conversation seized as a man came atop the stage and cried, “Welcome! Welcome one and all to this fabulous play of love, comedy, and heartbreak! We worked extensively on this and pray you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed performing and writing it!”

“Ah, they put effort! Perhaps it _will_ be good, Edelgard,” Dimitri said brightly and Edelgard shook her head. “I wouldn’t say so yet, working hard on something doesn’t make it good.”

“Ah...I suppose that is true,” Dimitri admitted as he joined in with the polite scattered applause.

A band came out, violins and cellos in hand while a woman sat at a piano with a smile. A conductor stood before them, mouthed a tempo and the music began.

“A good start; excellent music,” Dimitri stated.

“It sounds as if you’re desperately trying to convince yourself that this will be good.”

“Would you think of me differently if I said I was?”

Edelgard smiled and didn’t respond, but Dimitri captured that image in his mind as he did with all her fleeting moments of even the most delicate acts of happiness.

The play began as a man stepped onto set, foot atop a makeshift rock and a sword brandished forward. “Oh! How I long for love but I do not deserve love and I wish I did but I—oh! What’s this?” The actor peered behind the rock and picked up a smaller rock. “Why! This looks like a woman! I shall make you my wife!”

Dimitri’s mouth slowly opened as he soaked up the opening scene, disbelief sending delirious laughter bubbling through his throat until he could no longer hold it in.

That laughter was the only sound within the theatre as the actor continued. “Yes! But oh no! How can I marry you when I don’t have your parents? I shall find them!”

The actor got on his stomach and wiggled around looking for more rocks. Dimitri was acutely aware of the baffled look Edelgard and the entire theatre audience was giving him as he clutched his stomach and howled but he couldn’t help it.

People wrote this. _Human beings_ sat down, wrote this in a script, and thought it was _good._

Goddess bless their souls.

A half-hour into the horrendously written play, fuvd people could be found walking out, and Dimitri could tell by the twitching of Edelgard’s brow that she was considering doing the same.

“But! But Father Rock! You must allow this marriage! I will die without my beloved!” The actor (whose character’s name Dimitri couldn’t recall) curled into a fetal position and crocodile cried like a baby.

Dimitri saw Edelgard squeeze her eyes closed and pinch her brow, taking in a deep shuddering breath. If he didn’t know any better, he would have assumed she was being physically tortured.

This reaction was of course opposite to Dimitri’s who was now clutching his stomach with a red face and a pair of lungs begging for air.

He was going to die. He was going to die laughing at the worst thing he had ever set eyes upon.

He had regained his breathing when Edelgard tapped his shoulder vigorously, scowl on her face.

Dimitri wiped the amused tears from his eyes and looked back at the scowling princess. “Edelgard?”

“Can we leave? _Please?”_ She asked, voice bordering desperate as her eyes darted towards the actor who was now rolling around and knocking over props.

“S-sure,” Dimitri giggled as the two made their way to the exit.

**-o0o-**

When working with the likes of Those who Slither in the Dark, there were things that needed to take back stage—things like shame—just enough to keep up appearances but not enough to turn your backs on the people who took nearly everything from you.

But walking out of _“Searching for Love”_ filled Edelgard with so much shame that she wanted to curl up into a little ball and dissipate into thin air; to hell with Fódlan and to deeper hell with the Goddess. She was no benevolent being if abominations like that play could come to existence and be shown to human eyes.

Everything was a daze, the golden glowing hanging lanterns and the starry night sky blending into a dreamlike illusion and the sound of her and Dimitri’s boots against cobblestone echoed a lifetime away.

“Well!” Dimitri said with a grin. “That was perfectly atrocious.”

Edelgard stopped walking and her eyes widened as she turned to Dimitri. “Wha—you thought it was bad?”

“Bad? No it was possibly the most horribly written thing ever put to stage,” Dimitri chuckled with a shake of his head. “Saying it’s bad is just an insult to _actual_ bad things.”

“You were laughing like a lunatic!” Edelgard uttered in confusion. “And may I add you were the only one remotely amused in the entire audience? How can you tell me you didn’t enjoy it?”

“Oh I _did_ enjoy it—that play was so fundamentally _wrong_ that it’s just...hilarious!” Dimitri let out another laugh as they continued walking.

“You enjoyed it because it was...bad?” Edelgard repeated, blinking rapidly in non-comprehension.

Dimitri smiled at her, the glow of the lanterns causing his eyes to shimmer brighter than they already were due to tears. “Precisely that.”

Edelgard shook her head and chucked lightly as well. “You truly are odd, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd.”

“That’s what the server said when I enjoyed Flayn’s cooking.”

“Is that another thing you enjoy because it’s so bad?”

“Not at all! I genuinely think it’s delicious!”

Edelgard balked at him. “You _genuinely_ enjoyed Flayn’s cooking?”

“I do! Why is that so hard to be—“ Dimitri stopped abruptly as his eyes found something behind Edelgard. Whatever that something was, it was clearly a good thing if the even brighter look on his face than before was any indication.

“Look, over there!” Dimitri pointed and Edelgard turned to see a little mini puppet stage set up. Crowded around it were many little children, some with their parents as a have puppets told a story she couldn’t hear.

_“‘The Throned Rose.’_ It’s an old Faerghus story; oh, how I loved it as a little boy! Come, we should go see!”

“What?” Edelgard demanded as he grabbed her hand and attempted to pull her forward. Her glove slipped and she inhaled sharply before quickly tugging free of Dimitri’s grasp and adjusting it properly. “No! I’m not going to watch a child’s play.”

“We _are_ children, Edelgard,” Dimitri said gently.

“We’re both months away from eighteen,” Edelgard pointed out with crossed arms.

“But we’re still seventeen for now, are we not? Come, you’ll enjoy it, I swear.”

Edelgard still felt a lingering embarrassment at the thought of sitting around with a bunch of little children but she needed her brain to be cleansed from her...experience and Dimitri looked so positively excited...

Sighing, Edelgard related and said, “Well, it can’t be worse than _‘Searching for Love.’”_

“Nothing could, I believe. Well...the stage adaptation to _‘The Sword of Kyphon’_ could be the exception—it wasn’t even hilariously bad, just...boring. Anyway! This one will be good!”

The two made their way to the little crowd and sat behind the majority child audience and sat behind them. Edelgard was acutely aware of how big they were in comparison to their child companions but had to remind herself that she had just voluntarily watched the worst thing ever conceived by man; this shouldn’t at all be embarrassing.

The puppet of a rose quivered as it watched the other puppet flowers being dragged underneath the stage by disembodied hands.

“It’s a silent play,” Edelgard whispered to Dimitri.

“It is, would you like me to explain what’s going on?” Dimitri murmured back.

“That would be appreciated,” Edelgard agreed.

“We missed a bit of the beginning, but the red rose was proud, believing she was the prettiest rose in the garden and couldn’t wait to be picked and cherished by human owners. However, she soon saw what was truly happening to the picked flowers—how painful being picked was and the horrible pain that followed,” Dimitri gestured to the disappearing flower puppets. “The Rose feared for her life and began searching for a way to not get picked—as we’re seeing here.”

The Rose bobbed up in down in a silent conversation with a bumblebee puppet and bowed her head as the bee shook its body in what Edelgard assumed was a “no”.

“She asked the bees for protection, but they hadn’t the time—they were far too busy,” Dimitri continued to narrate.

The bee puppet disappeared beneath the stage as a snake puppet rose above it.

“She also asked the snakes...but they proved to be untrustworthy,” The snake opened its mouth and The Rose quaked in fear as the audience became filled with screaming and giggling children.

“Finally, she found The Thorn Bush, and...well it’s pretty easy to see what happens here,” Dimitri said as The Rose gingerly approached the bush puppet (which in actuality was a bundle of yarn with spikes glued to it), and tilted its head to the side.

The thorn bush bobbed and The Rose slid within its spiked confines. A disembodied hand went to pick her but jolted when making contact with the thorns and retreated.

The curtains closed and the child audience cheered, Edelgard watched a nostalgic smile creep its way onto Dimitri’s face before he got up and held a hand out for Edelgard to take.

Edelgard opted to stand on her own before the two embarked on their walk back to the Monastery.

“Well? How was it?” Dimitri asked, a bit of hesitancy in his voice.

“It was...alright.”

Dimitri’s face deflated. “Oh.”

“I didn’t much understand why The Thorn Bush could help her when the others couldn’t.”

“Ah, well...they explain it better in the far more superior novel; The Thorn Bush felt worthless and despondent due his lack of beauty; because of his lack of it nobody gave him the light of day. The Rose gave him beauty, and in turned she could live and grow without the interfering hands of outsiders,” Dimitri explained. “It’s...a bare bones story, I know but I can’t help but adore it.”

“Why is that?” Edelgard questioned.

“Other than its nostalgic value?” Dimitri asked as he stared up into the night sky and smiled wistfully. “Who doesn’t want to be seen as beautiful? Or have companionship? Or grow happy and safe away from meddling hands?”

Edelgard looked down at her own hands and gently peeled back her gloves, staring at the scars beneath.

“Touché,” she said quietly.

“Say...Edelgard.”

“Hm?”

“After tonight...do you still need me to stay away from you?” Dimitri asked, eyes searching her face as she straightened up her glove.

Edelgard smiled sadly at him and looked down at the cobblestone beneath her feet. “I’m sorry. Truly. But it’s for your own good.”

Dimitri swallowed, hurt in his eyes before he smiled understandingly. “Alright. But just know if you ever need me—“

“I know,” Edelgard said softly. “That’s why you’re so dangerous.”

**-o0o-**

Manuela looked over Edelgard’s finished essay and smiled, handing it over to Dorothea who sighed dreamily. “If they don’t get together, I will never be happy,” she gushed.

Manuela nodded as she scribbled an _A_. “Same here, Sweetie; and I’m the happiest woman alive!”

Dorothea snorted as Manuela tossed her a joking smirk.

** ♡ ♡ ♡  
**

♡ **Dimigard Playlist** ♡

  * Old Habits Die Hard ~ Allie X 
  * Highschool Sweethearts ~ Melanie Martinez 
  * White Flag ~ Dido 
  * Six Feet Under ~ Billie Eillish 
  * Again ~ Sasha Sloan 
  * I’m Yours ~ Alessia Cara
  * War of Hearts ~ Ruelle
  * Can’t Pretend ~ Tom Odell
  * Meet me on the Battle Field ~ SVRCINA
  * Cinnamon Girl ~ Lana Del Ray
  * Haunted ~ Taylor Swift
  * Obsessions ~ Marina 
  * Mermaid ~ Skott
  * Only for a Moment ~ Lola Marsh
  * Black Sea ~ Natasha Blume 
  * Hold On ~ Chord Overstreet
  * Unsteady ~ X Ambassadors 
  * Broken Girl ~ Matthew West
  * Sweet Little Lies ~ bülow 
  * Nothing Breaks Like a Heart ~ Mark Ronson ft. Miley Cyrus 



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Yes, I am Pop Trash, and yes, 99% of these songs are sang by woman—that being said, I can see a lot of said female songs being from Dimitri's POV. 
> 
> Anyway.
> 
> Did I say “Super Fluffy?” Last chapter? Nah I actually meant bittersweet angst lolz.
> 
> This chapter was actually based on real events—I saw a horrible movie with some loved ones (Holmes and Watson) and felt a part of me die, but then we watched a simple little vintage movie my grandfather was watching (Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?) and my mind was cleansed :D
> 
> Also the Rose story was something I wrote two years ago and thinking back on it I went “Ha! I like this!"
> 
> Next chapter we jump bsck into the plot—which might be posted in 2 weeks instead of 1 so it's easier for me :3
> 
> Happy Valentines' Day!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	10. The Death Knight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Yeah I’m a day late, SORRY!
> 
> I finished the chapter yesterday but didn’t have the time to edit it so yeah...
> 
> ANYWAY! Adoring the love from last chapter! And I hoping you enjoy this one too! It’s a Blue Lions focused one but I had a lot of fun writing it ;3
> 
> Also, ALSO! You noticing the format of the chapter this time around?? That’s right it’s PROPER! I figured it out guys! *Dances around the room*

It truly was beautiful in the Oghma Mountains—sweeping oceans of green vivid grass peppered with mountain flowers of all colours and stone cliff sides splotched in brown and white, a grand view of the Monestary below and the delightful breeze that combed through the hair of all who felt it.

It made for a beautiful painting, or exquisite poem, and if one were to be on the mountain that day, they would have heard the jovial singing of a group of students and their Professor.

_"...And thus was the story,_

_Story of the Great Loog_

_Who remains in the pages of history_

_As a man who was strong and true!"_

"Ooh I love that one!" Ashe gushed as the cheerful group of Blue Lions finished their song.

"Agreed! That was a good one!" Mercedes asked with a happy smile and a clap of her hands. "Any more suggestions?"

"Just as long as it isn't another one about Loog or some other overrated and overly romanticized historical figure," Felix, (predictably the only one other than Dedue not singing), grumbled.

"How about 'Miss Albracca?'" Dimitri suggested and turned to his three childhood friends with a wistful smile. "Rodrigue would sing it to us all whenever we went hunting, remember?"

Ashe squeaked and quickly shook his head. "No, no, no! That one is _terrifying!"_

"It's a bit darker in tone than most songs but it's rather enjoyable I find," Dimitri said.

"Speak for yourself! When my dad sang it to me for the first time I had nightmares for weeks," Annette shuddered, hugging herself.

"Well, why don't you sing one of your own songs, Annie?" Mercedes suggested.

Annette immediately flushed scarlet as Dimitri curiously asked, "You write your own songs, Annette?"

"She does!" Mercedes confirmed proudly. "Practically any topic you can think of she wrote something on!"

"N-not _every_ topic! B-besides they're not even good!" Annette spluttered.

"Nonsense!" Mercedes objected. "Sing the one about those beasties!"

Felix rose an eyebrow and gave Annette a sideways glance. "A beastie song?"

 _"Oh!_ Mercedes stopped exposing me!" Annette cried, covering her face in shame.

Mercedes smiled lightly and patted Annette's head. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Does anyone have any other suggestions?"

"We can sing...ah, nah," Sylvain said with a musing frown. "I forget there's a bunch of virgin ears here."

This comment was met with a heavy sigh and solemn head shake from Ingrid. "Goddess, I don't even want to know."

Dimitri shuddered. Neither did he.

"Hm...Dedue do you have a song you'd like to sing?" Mercedes questioned the silent young man beside Dimitri.

Dedue shook his head. "No. I am not very well acquainted with the folk songs of Faerghus."

"How about one from Duscur?" Mercedes asked.

Dedue's steps faltered for a split second before continuing his steady march, turning to Mercedes with a mildly confused gaze. "I am afraid they are not in the language of Fódlan; you would not understand."

"Oh, I don't mind; good music is good music, even if you don't understand the words! Besides, how fascinating would it be to hear a song in a new language?"

Dedue opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, brow furrowing in deeper bewilderment. "I—"

"It's alright, Dedue. You don't have to sing if you are uncomfortable," Dimitri said, offering a companionable pat on the shoulder to his retainer.

Dedue closed his mouth and nodded, expression returning to that of unreadability as Dimitri glanced over his shoulder and asked, "How about you Professor? A song suggestion?"

"I'm delighted you've asked Dimitri!" Hanneman said cheerfully. "There's plenty of Adrestian folk songs I'd love to—"

A male scream sliced through the air, effectively silencing the conversation and snatching away the care-free mood of the late morning. There was a split second of shock and dread that cloaked the atmosphere before within seconds, weapons were drawn, magic was called upon, and the steady footsteps had increased drastically.

Dimitri's heart was pounding loudly in his rib cage, bruising his rips and deafening his eardrums as he ran. This was supposed to be a simple patrol. This was supposed to be free of bloodshed and the risk of death.

Why was their screaming?

The horribly familiar and iron sharp scent of blood was the first thing to hit Dimitri's senses as he crested the hill he and the Blue Lions were previously marching but now dashing up. The second thing to hit his senses was the sight of the blood itself coating the grass and flowers in sticky gore and leaking out of strewn and horribly dismembered corpses, leading away from a destroyed and equally gore soaked village. The third was the eerie silence that emanated from said village—there were no sounds of cackling bandits or growling Demonic Beasts or crying villagers.

"What the _hell."_ Sylvain muttered dazedly as Hanneman whispered "Good _Goddess,"_ and the Blue Lions watched the horrible picture before them.

Ashe's breath hitched and he clamped a hand over his mouth, a green tint spreading across his freckled cheeks, Annette's eyes seemed bugged out as she quaked in horror and Mercedes had her hands clasped, muttering a prayer under her breath, face scrunched in clear distress. Dedue's wide eyes darted everywhere as if looking for the culprit of this abhorrent scene and even Felix didn't seem at all excited by the sudden stakes increase of their first mission and the possibility of a fight—his eyes were as wide as Annette's and he had noticeably paled, hand squeezing the hilt of his unsheathed sword so tightly that circulation appeared cut in his palm.

"P-Professor," Ingrid said from beside Dimitri in a shaky voice, body stiff as a board and verdant eyes staring at the carnage with an expression of non-comprehension. "What do we—Your Highness?"

Dimitri didn't hear, he was far too busy slowly stepping into the village, metal boots squelching in blood and head slowly shaking in a silent, futile plea because this _couldn't_ be real. By The Goddess who would _do_ something like this?

His grip on his lance tightened and the unfortunate wood beneath it splintered. A _monster_ that was who. An irredeemable _bastard_ that deserved to burn in—!

"Your Highness!"

Dimitri was halted from going any further as Sylvain firmly grabbed his bicep and pulled back. "Look, just think about what you're doing here, alright? Whoever or whatever did something as thorough and violent as _this_ —" Sylvain gestured to the bloody canvas of bodies surrounding them, causing Dimitri's blood to boil further at the reminder. "—is probably still here judging by that scream we heard only a minute ago. If you go off charging on your own like a madman you could get yourself killed."

"Sylvain is correct, Dimitri," Hanneman said seriously. "Don't go charging off on your own. Now, come this way children." Hanneman gestured with his head back towards the mountain trail they had come from.

"What?" Dimitri demanded, jerking out of Sylvain's grip to turn and stare in bafflement at Hanneman. "We're going back?"

"Whatever group of bandits or monsters caused this were a powerful foes indeed, Dimitri. This was not what your mission—"

"If whoever did this is still here, we should face them!" Dimitri exclaimed furiously.

Hanneman frowned. "Now, Dimitri—"

"They lost their lives unjustly and deserve to be avenged! We can't just—!" Dimitri felt another hand on his arm that effectively cut him off—Ingrid's. The prince turned to face his his friend whose green eyes were warm with empathy.

"Your Highness, I understand your anger but...I have to agree with both Sylvain and Professor Hanneman. We don't know who or what did this and we didn't prepare for a battle. With no Seiros Knight back up or a lot healing tonics, getting into a fight could be deadly. As future king, we, nor Faerghus can afford to loose you."

The tension loosened from Dimitri's muscles and he sighed softly. His grip on his lance loosened and he nodded in a subdued manner. "Yes...right. I'm sorry. Forgive me for my insolence, Professor."

"Never you mind," Hanneman said with a light smile before hurriedly gesturing to the mountain path. "Now hurry!"

As the Blue Lions trekked back down the mountain in a thick atmosphere of unease, Hanneman lagged behind. He muttered under his breath, hands glowing before a dozen pale blue Sagittae orbs materialized from the magic circle following underneath his feet and hovered around him at the ready like a swarm of stagnant shooting stars. The man watched the path with rapt, worried attention.

The silent group had been walking for what Dimitri felt was a half-hour before he felt the mountain trembling and saw several stray pebbles clattering onto the ridge trail.

Dimitri's gaze darted upwards and he was met with the baffling sight of an armoured man on a horse... _riding vertically down the mountain's side._

"What? I don't—how is that even possible?" Ashe cried as he followed Dimitri's wide-eyed gaze.

Hanneman and the other Blue Lions watched flabbergasted as the knight galloped closer, and closer, sending more pebbles tumbling down and putting him in clearer view.

His spiked onyx armour gleamed with fresh blood and a twin tailed black and crimson cape billowed behind him like a leaf in the wind. His mask was shaped like a skull and consisted of an eerie sharp toothed grin and glowing ruby eyes with two long horns protruding from the top. His steed was as pitch black as its rider's armour and sported equally red eyes beneath its own helm.

Felix sank into a fighting stance and majority of the Blue Lions followed suit until Hanneman called, "Hold, Children! We don't yet know if he is friend or foe, let's not scare him off!"

Hanneman was met with several skeptical frowns from the students before the knight and his horse leapt off the mountain once they were close and landed on the trail in an almost graceful manner. "You have forced me to chase you," the knight said in a deep, hoarse voice that echoed ominously. "How obnoxious."

"Still think he's a friend, Professor?" Sylvain asked with mirthless smile as he and his classmates levelled the knight with their weapons or prepared spells.

Hanneman didn't answer and instead pushed in front with his floating orbs in tow. "You! Identify yourself!"

"No." The knight said simply and rose his scythe skywards. Electricity crackled from his fist to the blade and he swung downwards, sending lightning through the air and striking against Hanneman's chest.

"Professor Hanneman!" Dimitri exclaimed as the man tumbled to the path with a pained grunt and twitching muscles. Mercedes had gasped in horror and swiftly knelt to help him when Dimitri spun back around to face the knight, hatred burning in his eyes and a retightened grip on his lance.

"Bastard! It was you wasn't it?! You killed those people!"

"I did," the sinister man stated, not a single drop of remorse was laced in his confession and that only served to make Dimitri angrier—even more so when the man dared to continue with, "It was pleasant entertainment."

 _"Entertainment?_ You took dozens of lives!" Dimitri yelled, shaking his head vigorously in utter disbelief. "You thought spilling the blood of innocents was _fun?!"_

The man tilted his head curiously to the side. "Does that displease you?"

Dimitri gritted his teeth and shook in fury. "You... _I'll kill you!_ You'll pay for killing those people, and you'll pay for harming our Professor!"

The prince charged forward with a war cry and threw his lance with all the might his muscles, momentum, and his Crest could give him. His blood sizzled with power and raw rage. Those people who be avenged, he would make sure of it!

The knight swung his scythe again and sliced the lance in half while in midair. The two halves clattered to the path before rolling off.

 _"Wow,"_ Felix said sardonically as Dimitri's eyes widened in disbelief for the third time in the same hour. How was that even possible? How, in armour no less, was that knight fast enough to stop and slice in half a weapon hurled with the full power of Blaiddyd?

The knight calmly dismounted his horse and patted its rump, sending it galloping vertically down the mountain once more before dramatically twirling his scythe and advancing forwards. "Come, children. Let us dance."

Dimitri unsheathed the sword strapped to his hip and pointed it forward. "Let's. Felix, with me. Annette and Ashe support with your long range attacks, and Ingrid Sylvain, Mercedes and Dedue, stand by in case we need help. We _will_ defeat this monster!"

"Understood," Dedue said, axe at the ready as Ashe shakily nocked and arrow and Annette called upon her magic before looking over her shoulder at Mercedes, who was still washing a now unconscious Hanneman in glowing white light magic.

"How is he, Mercie?"

Mercedes bit her lip and shook her head. "I-I don't understand! It looked like a simple Thunder spell but..."

Dimitri didn't take his eyes off the slowly advancing knight for a second, but Mercedes's comment simultaneously worried him and fuelled his rage. If Hanneman was dead...

"On three, we charge," Dimitri told Felix. "One..."

"Three," Felix said and bolted forward.

"Felix!" Dimitri cried as the knight charged forwards as well, bloody scythe glinting in the sunlight before it was swung in a under curved slash. The blade connected with Felix's sword and ripped it from his grasp, sending it twirling into the sky.

Before the knight could attack the baffled Felix once more, Dimitri dashed forward swiftly and rose his own sword in time to block the downwards blow, push the scythe back upwards with a grunt, and thrust forward with Blaiddyd's emblem glowing brilliantly atop his backhand.

Dimitri's sword would have pierced the armour had the knight not swiftly jumped back. The skull masked foe's break was short lived when a glowing disk shot through the air towards him—curtesy of Annette—and he had to dodge to the side before charging once more.

Dimitri and Felix, who had luckily managed to catch his sword thanks to Dimitri's interference, were ready to attack him at once.

Instead, the knight jumped freakishly high into the air over their heads and came plummeting downwards, blade aimed for the top of Annette's head.

Annette shrieked and leapt to the side just as the knight landed, the pathway cracking underneath his armour. He quickly recovered and swung down at Annette as she tried to scramble back to her feet but was distracted by Ashe who had shot in arrow at his armoured back with a stammered, "L-leave her alone!" Quickly followed by the four childhood friends and Dedue with their weapons at his front.

The scary thing was, the knight didn't seem overwhelmed or worried at all.

Of course, Dimitri couldn't see his face but his body language showed nothing but nonchalance; the way he parried blows with maddening ease, or dodged spells and ignored Ashe's arrows and never once grunted in pain or exertion.

One minute, he was twirling left and right as he blocked blows from Sylvain and Ingrid simultaneously, and the next he had rolled underneath their blades to shoot a Thunder spell at Felix, and then he had sent a heavy and electric spinning roundhouse kick to Sylvain's ribs, knocking him with a painful sounding _crunch_ against the cliff side and _then_ he had caught an arrow from Ashe and stabbed it in Ingrid's lung, sending an electrical shock threw it and causing her to cry out in pain before he shoved her aside and dug his scythe blade into Ashe's thigh with another shock.

It was ridiculous! He was wearing armour and yet he was moving as if he wore nothing but cloth.

Much like—

"How is he so damned fast?" Felix grunted in frustration as he struggled to his feet and failed. Next to him was a standing and panting Dimitri, a terrified Annette, a horrified Mercedes and a scowling Dedue. Sylvain moaned in pain as he slid down the cliff side, Ingrid and Ashe both covered their bleeding wounds as they lay on the ground—Ingrid gasping in agony and fighting for consciousness while Ashe whimpered and blinked back tears.

Felix had luckily managed to dodge the Thunder spell for the most part but it had managed to strike at least half his body and the toll on it was certainly clear.

Just who was this man?

The knight turned away from the three wounded students and brought his attention to the five remaining.

"You need to get me to them, I need to stop the bleeding," Mercedes said urgently as she stood from her crouched position from beside Hanneman's limp form.

Dimitri nodded as the knight held his scythe at the side at the ready and stalked forward. "Dedue, aide her and bring Felix with you."

Felix glared at Dimitri and indignantly snapped, "I'm fine!" He tries to emphasize this by attempting to stand again—and needed up failing like last time.

Dimitri rose an eyebrow. "You stand corrected, Felix—or not, in this case."

"Shut up."

The knight continued to advance, and Dimitri didn't know if he was imagining the brighter glow of his eyes or not.

"Hurry, Dedue. I'll distract him."

"Yes, Your Highness," Dedue said as Mercedes stood by his side with an annoyed Felix leaning on her for support.

"Annette, remain with Hanneman and keep him safe," Dimitri continued as Annette nodded shakily.

"Only when you are all aching and bleeding on the ground will I let you taste the sweet release of death," the knight promised darkly as he rose his scythe.

Dimitri narrowed his eyes and readied himself for a charge. "Funny. I was about to tell you the same thing."

**-o0o-**

What Edelgard had been planning to do as she briskly strode into the library with an air of displeasure was to grab Lindhart by the ear, yell at him for making the Black Eagles late for their mission, and drag him out by said ear—witnesses be dammed.

But when she did make her away into the large book filled room she was immediately greeted by Tomas cheerfully humming to himself as he sat in one of the library desks reading a book.

The book, Edelgard noticed, was also upside down; a detail that added with the happy humming sent suspicions ricocheting throughout her system. A feeling that increased double fold when Tomas looked up with an expectant gleam in his eyes.

"Hello, Edelgard! Lovely day, isn't it?" He asked with a sharp grin.

He had been waiting.

"What have you done?" Edelgard hissed, slamming her hands atop the table and leaning forward so nobody else could hear.

"Hmm? Oh, me? Well! Thales requested something done and I decided to have a little fun while completing the task; your little Death Knight was bored so—"

"I didn't give you permission to send him out!"

"I know, I know! But like I said he was so _bored,_ so I sent him to go play around with the Lions—"

Edelgard's heart skipped a beat. _"What?"_

"Well I don't see the big issue," Tomas smirked as he leaned forward into Edelgard's face as well. "In your own words, the little prince was nothing to you, no? Besides, if he's as strong and formidable as Thales insists then he'll be just fine, surely!"

Edelgard's hands clenched into fists atop the table and she gritted her teeth before spinning around and walking even faster out of the library than she entered, trying and failing to ignore the delighted, "Run, run, Princess!" Tomas crowed at her.

"My uncle will hear of this," she snapped over her shoulder, relishing in the small victory in seeing his smirk falter and his eyes flicker with concern.

"Lady Edelgard," Hubert said proudly, walking towards her in the hallway with a grumbling Lindhart over his shoulder. "I've...you seem in a hurry—"

"Tell Seteth or Archbishop Rhea that the Blue Lions's mission has been put in severe jeopardy," she said automatically as she turned the bend, hearing Lindhart mutter, "Erm...how does she know that?"

Once Edelgard had exited the Monastery, she broke into a run.

Damn him! Damn Tomas! Dimitri was strong but The Death Knight had advanced armour and was exceptionally skilled, not to mention insatiable for blood and suffering.

Edelgard dashed into her room and slammed the door shut behind her, pulling out her armour with adrenaline quivering arms before fitting each piece on one by one.

She wasn't letting The Agarthans take another person from her—not if she could help it.

**-o0o-**

Dimitri let out a guttural yell as he clashed his sword against the knight's scythe again, and again. He pushed forward and slashed at every opportunity, refusing to give him a single moment of respite, refusing to let him go after his friends who were busy getting healed, or Annette who was dutifully standing guard for Hanneman. Dedue had rejoined the battle once he had ensured Mercedes's and Felix's safe mini-travel and was standing at the sidelines, waiting for a moment Dimitri needed him.

Sweat was flung from his flying hair with every movement and his heart was racing so rapidly it felt as if it would shatter his rib cage.

"Impressive stamina," the knight mused. Dimitri noticed with a burning frustration that the man's voice was not the least bit strained. "A nice little dance you have made me participate in...but I grow weary."

The knight somehow managed to sidestep another of Dimitri's quick blows before swinging his scythe and burying its blade within his abdomen—slicing through armour and skin alike, and causing the prince to cry out in torment.

"Your Highness!" Dedue exclaimed at the same time Mercedes and Annette called out, "Dimitri!"

As the knight sharply pulled out his weapon and let Dimitri collapse in a pained heap, Dedue lunged forward, axe aimed for the knight's head.

The knight parried and swept Dedue's feet from under him and Dimitri's heart leapt in his throat as he saw him raise his scythe—

The knight ducked another Wind spell from Annette and attempted to shoot a Thunder spell her way, but Dedue had launched to his feet and attacked with his axe, forcing him to once again dodge.

Through his pained vision, Dimitri could see Dedue teaming with Annette to attack the knight; Annette would send Wind and Dedue would come right behind. But Dimitri knew the knight was toying with them, knew that any moment he would injure them too...

Mercedes ran towards him and knelt. "Hold on, Dimitri," she said in a strained voice as her hands hovered over his body. Dimitri breathed in comfort as her magic mended his chest...it felt as if cool water was being gently rubbed around the wound.

"You're tired," Dimitri said as he glanced up to find the young woman's heavily lidded eyes.

"This spell...I-I always knew Thunder was dangerous but this one is _different._ It's like paralyzing infection and it's taking all my strength just to keep it at bay—"

Both their heads snapped to attention when they heard Annette scream and tumble to the ground with a slash across her chest, followed swiftly by Dedue with a wound in his back, both twitching as electricity crawled over their bodies.

"No! Annie, Dedue!" Mercedes cried.

"Help them," Dimitri said urgently, struggling to his feet, wincing as the newly healed skin in his chest tore slightly.

"But you're not—"

"Do it, Mercedes!" Dimitri commanded before picking up his fallen sword and lunging forward, chest bleeding and fist clenched around his weapon.

He would kill him. He would _kill him._

"Hmm? Come for an encore?" The knight questioned in a mocking tone.

"Yes!" Dimitri growled as he rose his sword, but before he could let it fall, the knight had brought his own weapon down and shattered the blade.

"What?" Dimitri gasped. "How—?"

The Knight sent a hard kick to his abdomen, right where his wound was and the prince tumbled to the bloody ground with a pained yell, the panicked cries of his name sounding through his rapid pulse and the seemingly deafening _whoosh_ of The Knight's scythe as its deadly tip swiftly fell, zeroed in on Dimitri's neck.

Instinctively, Dimitri stopped the blade by wrapping his hands around its sharp edges and pushing it away from his throat. wincing as he felt it easily slice through his gauntlets and tear his skin.

The Knight titled his head in seeming curiosity at the stunt before his head snapped up, he tugged his weapon free of Dimitri's grasp and blocked a blow from Mercedes wielding one of Felix's swords.

"Stop this! Leave him alone!" She exclaimed. The knight batted her away and let her hit the the ground with a cry.

Crawling back on bleeding palms and a wounded stomach, Dimitri snatched the hilt of his jagged edged sword and prepared to use his strength to fuel his Crest of Blaiddyd _one last time_ to try and—

The knight turned his way and sent his Thunder spell sparking towards him.

And he was lit on fire with a world of pain.

Sharp needles of agony dove to the bone and singed every nerve, blurring his vision seizing and cramping his muscles...it was awful. Oh Goddess he couldn't see anything but sparks shooting in the darkness, couldn't hear anything but the sound of his own screams and the knight advancing closer and—

A war cry, a clash of blades, the knight saying, "Do not disturb my game," and a pained grunt.

Dimitri forced his eyes open, throat tightening in panic when his blurred vision came into focus and showcased the knight grasping Felix by the throat, dangling him in the air as he gasped for breath, defiance burning in his eyes.

No.

No, no, no, _Goddess no._

Dimitri forced himself forward, crawling with the jagged sword piece in hand. Not Felix, please no...

"Stop!" Mercedes snapped, running towards the knight with her sword. "Put him down, now!"

The knight casually blocked Mercedes merger blow while squeezing Felix's his throat tighter and tighter. Felix let out a string of garbled curses as he tried and failed to pry the knight's fingers free from his neck—

Dimitri called upon the power of his Crest and used its strength to propel him forward. He rose the jagged edged sword and plunged it deep into the knight's side with a strained roar and flash of blue light.

The knight stiffened, looking down slowly at the open gash in his armour and the panting prince who put it there.

"Let...him... _go_ ," Dimitri growled.

The knight simply stared down at him and said not a word until another deep echoing voice barked " _Death Knight!"_

All three heads turned to the voice's owner—and Dimitri came face to face with his biggest enemy—and greatest fear.

**-o0o-**

The scene before her gave Edelgard a feeling of both anger and relief.

Anger that that blasted Tomas had sent Death Knight to go after innocents for seemingly no other reason than to irk her—or more specifically to threaten Dimitri once more. Relief that she had gotten there in time. The Lions were tapped out but certainly alive and Dimitri...

A blade of his was stabbed deep within Death Knight's armour and his face was filled with utter horror, disbelief and anger as he locked eyes with her. So much so that Edelgard, for only a moment feared he has somehow recognized her beneath the mask, or her voice though it was modulated thanks to the armour's technology. That was until his hands slid from the blade, and he fell to his knees uttering, "Who are you?" In a quivering voice.

Edelgard vaguely wondered why her guise was giving him such a strong reaction...still, she simply answered; "I am The Flame Emperor."

Dimitri mouthed the name slowly before his eyes fell to his shakily clenched fists, distant and faraway.

Deciding not to dwell on Dimitri's rather intriguing behaviour, Edelgard turned disapprovingly to Death Knight.

"The Knights of Seiros have caught wind of your foolishness," she continued. "They are on their way now so I suggest you take your leave."

Death Knight growled and dropped the boy in his grasp—Felix unceremoniously. A Blue Lions girl with flaxen blonde hair dropped to her knees and began a healing spell. "You are interfering with my fun."

"You've had enough fun. It's time for you to leave."

The Death Knight harrumphed before disappearing in flash of purple light and Edelgard let out a soft sigh or relief. She had been worried she would have to use extra force and she truly wasn't in the mood.

Edelgard turned to the three Blue Lions students staring at her—the blonde with wariness, Felix with evaluation, and Dimitri with a clenched jaw and eyes burning with hatred.

 _"You,"_ he hissed, attempting to stand, only to collapse back to his knees with a grunt. "I've _finally_ found you..." his eyelids fluttered shut and he slumped against the cliff side with a groan of pain.

"Stay where you are," Edelgard told the blonde girl and Felix. "The Knights will come." And with that she too disappeared in a burst of light and the semi-uncomfortable feeling of free falling into her next location.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: EVERYTIME I fight the Death Knight in the game and he uses that goddamn Thunder spell, it’s an instant K.O for my students, oof. So I portrayed that in that in story! 
> 
> ANYWAY.
> 
> While I enjoyed writing this chapter it’s the next one I REALLY want to show off! In fact I’m so excited it’s partially written already and I don’t even feel like taking a procrastination break like last time! :D
> 
> Unrelated, but I’m posting a Harry Potter fic later today because my childhood love for it has been fully rekindled and I MUST express this in writing, SO! If you’re interested, you can give it a read :3
> 
> That’s it for me!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	11. The Knots of Fate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: WOW you guys loved last chapter, I’m delighted! That’s why I feel a bit bad that this chapter is super chill and slow paced in comparison but it’s necessary for all the future plot points I have set up, trust me! 
> 
> Enjoy!

Jeritza slid a finger down the magically scarring wound on his side with a sort of delirious fascination as he sat in grin of his vanity and eyed its pink jagged length.

When was the last time a foe had wounded him?

Maybe years, and years and years ago...but not know. Not after training and honing his skills. So this was why this otherwise shallow, non-lethal and simple wound was oh so fascinating to him—almost as fascinating as the boy who put it there.

Thoughts of said boy fled Jeritza's mind as his bedroom door was flung open and a furious Edelgard marched in.

Jeritza let his shirt fall back over his flesh and sighed in agitation. "You have no right to be angry."

Edelgard scoffed. "I don't, do I?" She demanded, kicking the door closed. "You rampaged on an innocent village without my consent and mortally wounded students of the Officer's Academy, forcing me to intervene and risk detection! The Archbishop will no doubt demand an explanation as to how I knew you were being a bloodthirsty _lunatic_ and what do you want me to say? Hmm? _Intuition?"_

Jeritza didn't answer. Instead he said, "He wounded me."

 _"What?_ Death Knight, are you even listening—!"

"The boy with hair of sunshine and the eyes of a beast," Jeritza said, looking into the distance. "That...boy. The Prince."

"He...managed to land a blow?" Edelgard asked in surprise. "Dimitri is a capable fighter certainly but...you've never been touched in a fight in—"

"Years, and years, and years..." Jeritza said quietly, showing Edelgard the wound. "Dimitri then? That is his name?"

"I—yes but that is besides the point, Death Knight. I want to be clear with you; never are you to take orders from anyone but I—least of all Tomas. Understood?"

Jeritza hummed carelessly in agreement and went back to sliding a finger up and down his wound. "Are you finished?"

Edelgard huffed and exited his room, slamming the door shut behind her, leaving Jeritza alone with his thoughts, thankfully.

"Di...mi...tri..." he mumbled the syllables under his breath.

**-o0o-**

Edelgard knew first hand what Death Knight's magic could do.

It had been two years ago and they had been sparring and frustratingly, Edelgard hadn't been able to land a single blow. Then he had struck her with Thunder and the fight had ended in a grand total of sixty seconds.

While twitching on the floor in sheer agony, Death Knight had looked down at her with _actual emotion_ on his face—disappointment to be exact—and said, "I have no need for you."

He had refused to spar with her every since.

An odd man, Death Knight.

But, the point was his Thunder spell—it had only hit her leg back then but it had spread throughout her body like a virus until Hubert got rid of it with a Recovery Spell.

From what Edelgard had seen when she had arrived in those mountains, the Blue Lions healer either did not know how to cast Recovery or had no idea that was what she needed to do seeing as how all the Lions were unconscious.

And the Seiros mages might not know what to do either, what if...?

With a grunt, Edelgard buried her training axe within the straw dummy's chest, gripping the wooden handle in an angry grip.

"Curse you, Solon," She snarled before wrenching the axe out and serving the dummy's head with one clean swoop.

Panting, Edelgard stepped backwards and wiped the sweat from brow, eyes flickering towards the open doors of the Training Grounds when she heard a commotion.

Edelgard returned the axe to its place in the weapon rack before speed walking to the outdoors. Students from the Officers Academy, Dance Academy, and all the other Monastery Academies were pouring out of their classrooms as gossiping mutters flitted about like birds.

But from the little Edelgard could snatch, she knew where she needed to head next.

"The Blue Lions are all seriously wounded, did you see the Knights bring them in?"

"All of them?"

"Every last one! Including Prince Dimitri!"

"Prince Dimitri? No way! Who could knock _him_ down?"

The mutters only got louder as Edelgard entered the Monastery proper, heart thumping in anxiety and fists clenched tightly in rage. As soon as she entered the hallway containing the infirmary, students were all crowded around the closed doors, now no longer muttering but exclaiming.

"D'you think they'll live?"

"I bet five gold it was those no good Western Church idiots! You know the ones!"

"I saw them go in! Poor Prince Dimitri looked awful!"

As Edelgard reached the crowd, she began to shuffle students out of the way with clipped, "Excuse me"s and "Sorry"s until she finally reached the doors and knocked firmly.

"Professor Manuela!"

"Don't bother," a female student grumped. "She won't let us in."

The door opened a crack and Manuela's eyes peeked out. "I'm sorry, Edelgard. But no visitors right—"

"I'm not visiting! I can help!" Edelgard insisted, imagining that horrible Thunder spell eating away at Dimitri until his heart was devoured and he was lost forever.

Manuela sighed, eyes lowered in sympathy. "Sweetie, I understand Dimitri is your friend—" that statement sent a plethora of heads snapping towards Edelgard and she mentally sighed in annoyance. "—but I need all the concentration I can get. I have no idea what this spell is but—"

"Recovery," Edelgard said firmly.

Manuela blinked. "Pardon?"

"Cast Recovery and the Thunder spell will be dissipated," Edelgard repeated.

Manuela paused and said, "...I never thought of that!" Before the infirmary door slammed shut once more.

Breathing a sigh of relief that Dimitri's survival had raised significantly, Edelgard pushed back out of the crowd, annoyed at the new round of gossip.

"Princess Edelgard! You and Prince Dimitri are friends?"

"I told you guys I saw them walking together through Town one time! I told you!"

"What if they're _secret lovers?"_

Edelgard finally made her away out of the crowd and walked off as quickly as possible.

Goddess, she hated people some times.

Her annoyance quickly became an adrenaline spiked dash of horror however, as a firm hand grabbed her by the arm and tugged her into another hallway.

"You are a foolish girl," Tomas snarled as Edelgard scowled and indignantly tugged her arm free from his grasp. "What are you doing? It's bad enough you have to explain how you knew the Death Knight was endangering their life of your _precious_ Dimitri! Now you must also explain your knowledge of the unknown spell that was cast!"

"I have everything under control," Edelgard snapped. "And may I add that I wouldn't even _need_ to explain either if you weren't hellbent on spiting me like some child!"

"Don't you dare speak to me of maturity, girl!" Tomas hissed. "I'm not the one going to plays with boys while I have the weight of Fódlan's future balancing on my shoulders!"

Edelgard gritted her teeth and flushed. In embarrassment or anger she couldn't tell as she spluttered, "I was practically _blackmailed_ into going to that play! And even I wasn't, what I do on my free time and who I spend it with are _none_ of your business."

"Everything about you is my people's business, Edelgard. We've made you who you are," Tomas said. "And I've said it before and I will say it again, if that _boy_ causes trouble he will be disposed of. So I suggest you take your feelings for Prince Dimitri and _burn it."_ And with that, Tomas hobbled away on his cane, leaving a livid Edelgard behind.

**-o0o-**

Dimitri woke up to an aching throat and pounding headache.

Opening his eyes had been an unwelcome and painful experience, for his lids were heavy and sticky. And the sunlight shining from the nearby window proved to be too bright for him, casing him to wince in discomfort and his headache to increase in intensity.

"Thank the Goddess," Manuela sighed. Dimitri frowned and turned to glance at the physician from where she sat atop a stool by his bed.

She took a wet rag from a bowl sitting atop the nearby bed table and placed it gently atop Dimitri's forehead. The prince let out a sigh of comfort as Manuela said, "I was afraid it was too late for you—I used Recovery on you Goddess knows how many times but that Thunder spell wouldn't buzz off!" The woman shook her head before she rushed off to get something. Dimitri gingerly moved back in his cot and sat up, relieved to find there was no more pain in his abdomen.

"How do you feel?" Manuela asked as she returned with a handful of glass vials containing translucent liquid of different colours.

"Fine thank you—although I feel I have a bit of a fever," Dimitri responded, eyes flickering around the infirmary and finding it empty.

His heart clenched slightly in worry as Manuela handed him a translucent blue vial. "That should help with the fever in a couple of minutes," she said before Dimitri asked, "The others...are they—?"

"Their injuries were in less dangerous areas and they recovered fairly quickly; I Iet them leave a day after they came in. You, sir, took three days longer," Manuela responded and Dimitri sighed softly in relief before drinking the liquid to its entirety. "Although emotionally they may be a bit under the weather. The Lions are having a little break to properly heal and Mr. Fraldarius is more than a little annoyed at the lack of a Professor and by extension lack of any training sessions or instruction. Not to mention Lady Rhea postponed all missions until further notice. Your other friends tried sneaking in so many times I had to threaten them with expulsion at least five times and don't get be _started_ on your retainer!"

Dimitri chuckled along with the woman as she handed him a red vial. He could certainly imagine Dedue consistently trying to see him and failing each time with mounting frustration. The amusement quickly disappeared when something occurred to him.

"'Lack of a Professor?' What do you mean by that, Professor Manuela? Professor Hanneman is alright...isn't he?" Dimitri questioned, the fear seeping into his veins once more.

Manuela bit her bottom lip and looked away with a sigh. "Hanneman...had to be taken to some more qualified physicians in Adrestia. That strange Thunder spell struck him directly in the heart and my magic simply refused to work."

Dimitri whispered a forlorn, "I see," as his eyes fell to his shaking hands.

"Would've been the fate of you and all of your other friends with the exception of Mercedes had Edelgard not advised me to use Recover."

Dimitri looked up sharply with surprised eyes. "Edelgard? She came to see me?"

Manuela smiled slyly as he handed another blue tonic to him. "Oh she _tried_ but I sent her away just like the others. Although she told me the spell's cure before leaving and _well,_ needless to say you two are fairly talked about now."

"Talked about? I don't...how?"

"Word is you two are engagement," Manuela continued, and laughed in amusement as Dimitri burned scarlet. "Engaged! I—Manuela, you don't believe this foolishness, do you?"

Manuela batted a hand through the air. "Please, Sweetie. You're too hesitant and Edelgard's too stubborn for anything like that to happen any time soon. But the fascinating stories the students come up with are very entertaining!"

Dimitri sighed heavily and slumped his shoulders. Sylvain would never let him hear the end of this asinine rumour and dread was already weighing heavy on his chest—but not as heavy as his worry for Hanneman.

Or his hatred for...whoever that knight had—

_"Death Knight!"_

The memory returned to Dimitri sharp and clear. The deep voice, the red and white mask, the feather trimmed red armour—The Masked Man.

The Flame Emperor.

Every emotion fled Dimitri at once—everything but rage and sick excitement.

The Prince's fists clenched and shook while his breathing increased drastically, a dark smile spreading across his face.

How could he have forgotten? The Flame Emperor—his family's murderer.

His head was closer to Dimitri than ever before.

"Uh...Dimitri," Manuela laughed awkwardly. "Darling, there's no need to get worked up over a bit of gossip! Give it a moon and it'll blow right over."

Dimitri flinched out of his semi-trance and turned to Manuela seriously. "When can I leave?"

"I—um..." Manuela looked away apprehensively before stating, "Soon? This afternoon at the latest, I believe."

Dimitri took in a deep breath and nodded slowly. He had waited four years for this moment—he could wait a few more hours.

-o0o-

There was a painful mixture of agony, happinesses, and longing that came about when something you desired was so close yet so tantalizingly out of reach.

And everyday, when she saw Byleth, every night when she dreamt of holding her close and keeping her away from anything and everything forever, Rhea felt that very feeling.

Unfortunately, Jeralt had made it very clear that he wanted Rhea far, far, away from Byleth outside of House business

—and she wouldn't, *couldn't* give him a reason to take her away again.

Rhea watched her from the balcony outside the Audience Chamber, dark blue hair bounced against her shoulder blades as she carried a wooden crate filled with glass bottles and cups, presumably something for her Golden Deer class.

Rhea had hoped when she had sent Byleth to Zanado she would remember something and surely come running. After all, if Byleth came to Rhea by her own volition, Jeralt couldn't be mad, could he?

But alas, when Rhea had briefed Byleth and Claude on their mission, the girl's eyes hadn't lit up with delighted recognition and her mannerisms hadn't reminded Rhea of her mother at all.

She sighed softly to herself. It seemed she'd just have to wait a bit longer.

Rhea quickly masked her despondent expression and turned when she heard the Chamber doors open and a familiar pair of footsteps nearing.

"Seteth," she addressed with a practiced smile. "Do the Blue Lions have a suitable substitute?"

"Yes, Lady Rhea but..." Seteth's voice trailed off and the look on his face made Rhea's smile falter as he handed her a letter. "I'm afraid the Western Church has made due with their threat of rebellion."

As she read its contents, Rhea didn't even bother hiding the displeasure from her face this time.

**-o0o-**

"Four of these cups are filled with water. The other four are clear, odourless poison," Byleth said monotonously, legs atop the desk and mug of coffee mixed with beer in her hand. The mentioned glasses were neatly lined up beside her ankles. "Choose the wrong glass and you will die."

The Golden Deer stared wide eyed at the threat. Except for Claude who looked very much at ease.

Byleth found herself curious to know if it was a facade or genuine serenity.

Gingerly, Ignatz rose a hand and Byleth turned her unblinking gaze from Claude to him. "Ignatz?"

"Uh...you're joking right, Professor? We're not _actually_ going to die—right?"

Byleth took a lengthy sip of her beverage before tilting her head to the side. "That depends, Ignatz," she answered finally. "Did any of you study?"

This time, only Lysithea looked at ease while the rest of the Deer's faces ranged from guilt to "whoops" to more abject horror than before.

Before Byleth could call on a student to step forwards, the open doors were knocked and a cheerful Knight stepped in.

"Morning, Professor! I've got something to report!" The young man—The Gatekeeper, Byleth liked to call him because she didn't know his name and didn't care to learn it—said before holding out a probably official looking paper that she casually accepted and gave a once over.

"Okay. You can leave now," Byleth told him. Gatekeeper gleefully saluted and trotted off.

From the distance, Byleth could here him call, "Morning, Princess Edelgard! Nothing to report!"

"Good morning, Gatekeeper," a tight voice responded.

"...why does everybody keep calling me that?"

Edelgard breezed past the Golden Deer homeroom with an air of indignation that Byleth was certain wasn't caused by Gatekeeper because _that_ would make no sense.

Then again, Gatekeeper was annoying.

 _"Oh, no he's not! You're just a big bully!"_ Sothis, who had been silent up until now, chided.

Byleth took another sip from her beer-coffee and shrugged carelessly before announcing, "We've been deployed to the Kingdom to stop a rebellion," to her Golden Deer.

"Aw what?" Hilda whined. "Why do we have to go on a mission? The other Houses are taking a break, why can't _we?"_

"Show some humanity, Hilda!" Lysithea snapped. "The Black Eagles can't go on missions because Professor Manuela is busy tending to Prince Dimitri and the Blue Lions can't because Professor Hanneman is in critical condition! They aren't on _break._ "

"Oh, get off my back, twerp! I wasn't saying what happened wasn't awful, I'm saying we need a break too!" Hilda snapped back.

"We don't need a break, Hilda. You're just lazy," Lysithea said with a roll of her eyes.

"Okay, can we stop throwing around insults?" Ignatz practically pleaded.

"Agreed. Let's return to the lesson," Byleth said and Ignatz squeaked.

"O-o-on second thought—"

"Ignatz. You first."

**-o0o-**

So much for progress.

Dimitri had opened at least five encyclopedias and not one showed and any mention of a Flame Emperor.

Dimitri has gone straight to the library after Manuela gave him the go ahead to leave. He hadn't eaten or seen his friends—all he did that afternoon was read.

And with every book he slammed shut in defeat, he felt a sense of hopelessness chill the fire of his determination. He had tried looking for Tomas to get some aid but he didn't appear to be here.

"Dimitri."

Dimitri jumped and swivelled in his seat, looking up to find a vaguely familiar face partially concealed with a white half mask staring down at him. dark blue eyes shone through, and his long flaxen blond hair was tied in a black bow.

"O-oh, hello sir. I was just looking for—"

"Why...are you out of class?" The man said in a slow husky voice.

Dimitri blinked in confusion. Hadn't Manuela said they had time off? "I beg your pardon, sir, but...I was under the impression there were no classes."

"I found my letter very specific."

"Letter?"

The man sighed. "Time wasted yet again. Never your mind, come."

Still somewhat confused, Dimitri stood and followed the man out of the library.

"I...presume you are our new Professor then?"

"Correct."

"Ah! Apologies Professor..."

"Jeritza."

"Jeritza! That is a lovely name."

The man gave Dimitri a sideways glance. "What is so lovely about it?"

Dimitri flinched and quickly coughed up, "...it's...unique?"

Jeritza blinked slowly and returned his gaze forwards. "Not really."

Dimitri was fairly certain it _was_ a unique name—he'd never heard of a single child named Jeritza—but he wasn't about to argue.

After a few moments of silence, Dimitri said, "I'm sorry for not being aware—"

"You are bringing to attention irrelevant matters. Do not."

"Oh! R-right."

More silence.

"I don't believe I've seen you around before," Dimitri said finally.

"That is correct."

Silence.

"Do you need to see the syllabus—"

"I do not need one. I have one here." Jeritza tapped his skull. "I do not enjoy being held back by words on a page."

"...Ah."

Silence reigned once more and Dimitri didn't try and start another conversation.

The Blue Lions class was certainly going to be interesting from now on...for better or for worse.

**-o0o-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thanks to everyone being terrified of The Coronavirus, school’s out and that means I can write more! Meaning more chapters for YOU! WOOHOO!
> 
> Thanks Coronavirus! 
> 
> It’s a damn sin Jeritza isn’t Blue Lions recruitable tbh. I mean YEAH Azure Moon is the only route where there’s a unique playable character that isn’t a main lord or their loyal retainer and the other routes deserve something too, and YEAH Crimson Flower has a LOT of un-recruitable characters but, first of all, you can get Lysithea, Felix and Mercedes in CF and they’re phenomenal units who basically function as one man/woman armies anyway, and second, that unique character is Gilbert and nobody gives a shit about Gilbert. Soooo he doesn’t even count in my books. 
> 
> And I mean COME ON! A route about death, redemption, and getting over hard stuff! Jeritza/Emile would’ve been right at home in the Blue Lions! 
> 
> K, Rant Over!
> 
> Next chapter will pick up the pace once more,
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	12. The Rite of Rebirth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Me: More chapters for you guys!  
>  Also Me: Doesn’t update in three weeks. 
> 
> Apologies! I I knew what I wanted to happen but the words were fighting me for the longest time—also I got distracted while looking at FE3H soundtracks and found some dumbass in the comments defending Thales while simultaneously calling Claude the most immoral of the main characters and I’M SORRY but my conscience wouldn’t let me leave until I tore him a new asshole. 
> 
> Anyway. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy! This one is MUCH longer than last chapter! In fact, it’s the longest one yet :3

_Dear Father,_

_I am aware I haven't been able to get back to you in a timely manner; I must apologize for that. Life has been getting progressively more and more hectic and things are moving far more rapidly than I anticipated. Classes have been rather interesting to say the least, Professor Manuela is eccentric but clearly knows what she's doing and the Eagles are all intriguing in their own little ways. In response to your previous letter_

Edelgard hesitated, quill hovering over the scented parchment before she shook her head and continued writing.

_no, I haven't made any friends. The closest I've gotten are friendly acquaintanceships with Prince Dimitri and Dorothea Arnault—although that's more because both insist on speaking with me and not really due to any initiation of my own. I feel the other students are either intimidated or nonchalant when it comes to me and I find myself fairly unbothered by that, I haven't the time to waste on friends._

_But I'm sure you are uninterested with the careless ramblings of your daughter. How is your health? Please tell me you are staying away from the macaroons and the strawberry tarts for breakfast and for the love of Fódlan don't even think about dessert! I know it's difficult but your condition is fragile and I don't want you to forfeit your life over a mere lack of self-discipline. I implore you to continue following the sugar-free nutrition diet I gave the cooks before I left._

_I'm looking forward to reading your response._

_Love,_

_Edelgard_

Edelgard checked the letter over once before finding it agreeable and neatly folding it into the lavender envelope she had on standby. She then sealed it with a wax stamp of The Family Crest—The Crest of Seiros to be more accurate.

Edelgard shuddered at the sight before standing from her seat at her vanity. That was one one of the first things she would tweak once she came into power.

Every week on a Friday was Correspondence Day—the only time students could give and receive letters from their loved ones. And Edelgard was ashamed to admit she'd only attended it once on her second week at the Monastery.

But now with the next phase of her plan in motion, and that ever present anxiety creeping into her heart, Edelgard needed to remind herself of one of the many things she was fighting for.

When Edelgard exited the Monastery and entered the village, she was greeted to the sound and sight of copious chaos.

"Hey! I was there first!"

"Children, stop your shoving!"

"My grandfather has land in that madman's territory and he's too old to move; you're crazy if you think this letter isn't urgent!"

Voice overlapped one another and there was no line in sight. Shoving, cursing, and at some points outright sobbing filled the cloudy morning and Edelgard stood there with her letter grasped in two hands and a lump in her throat.

This was only the beginning—and already people were in despair.

"Princess Edelgard!" One of the knights manning the table called, tearing Edelgard out of her wallowing thoughts. "That a letter you got there? Come, I'll send it on its way."

"No, it's alright," Edelgard said. "I'll wait—"

"Nonsense! Come on up."

Edelgard couldn't let out another sound of protest before the once panicking crowd quieted and parted for her with reluctant bows and curtsies.

It was one of the most ludicrous things she had ever witnessed, but seeing as how words clearly weren't going to convince them of that, Edelgard sighed softly and stepped forward.

She muttered an apology to the boy who had been in the front of the "line"—one of the Lions if she recalled correctly, but the freckled boy simply smiled kindly and bowed politely.

Edelgard's jaw clenched. Just one more reason this war needed to happen.

She handed her letter to the knight with a quick thank you and stepped aside to let the Lion boy go next.

As Edelgard exited the crowd, she crashed into another someone and staggered forwards with a startled squeak.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" The girl she had crashed into cried, dropping the two letters in her hand to grip Edelgard's shoulders and right her properly. "I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you okay, Your Highness?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Edelgard said, straightening her back and fighting the flush of embarrassment from colouring her cheeks.

The girl sighed in relief. "Well I'm glad—"

"Ingrid!"

Both girls turned to the Monastery entrance where Felix Fraldarius stood, arms crossed and that perpetual frown of his in tact. "Class."

"Class?" The girl—Ingrid repeated in shock. "Professor Hanneman is healthy again?"

"Nope. Some masked fellow named Jeritza is teaching us."

Edelgard gasped quietly as Ingrid bent to quickly pick up her fallen letter. Death Knight? Teaching the Blue Lions? But why—?

Wait. Tomas had claimed that Arundel had wanted him to do something...which was why he used The Death Knight to go after them. Edelgard hadn't put into question what Arundel had wanted, too busy frustrated with Tomas and having to half-heartedly explain why she knew the Blue Lions where in trouble—but the only one who was in critical condition was Hanneman and now...

Now Death Knight was teaching them.

Oh for the love of—

"I wish I could have known," Ingrid lamented. "I hope I'm not too late..." she gave Edelgard a quick curtesy before dashing off towards the Monastery, blonde braid swinging in a pendulum like manner.

Edelgard hardly noticed, stomach writhing in discomfort as he remembered the euphoric fascination Death Knight expressed towards Dimitri. She knew from experience that approval from Death Knight was dangerous validation indeed.

The Princess shook her head and rid herself of the thoughts as she continued on her way. It seemed all she did was worry nowadays—not without good reason of course, but she need not dwell on the worst side of things.

Her heel met the familiar crunch of paper and her gaze flickered downwards to find one of the letters Ingrid had dropped. Edelgard quickly retrieved it and smoothed the creases, looking up to find Ingrid's form just getting atop the steps.

"Excuse me!" Edelgard called, speed walking after her. "You dropped..." her voice trailed off as Edelgard noticed the seal at the front for the first time.

The Family Crest of Arundel.

Edelgard's steps abruptly stopped as she stared at the letter wide-eyed. Why in the name of...?

"Thank you," Ingrid said breathlessly as she dashed back down the steps and took the letter from Edelgard. She gave her a quick respectful nod and dashed back up towards the impatiently scowling Felix.

Lovely.

Now she once again had to furiously rack her brain as to what else that man was planning behind her back.

**-o0o-**

Dimitri felt like a butterfly pinned to a board as he sat alone in the Blue Lions classroom. More accurately, he was a boy whose gaze was pinned into a forced and rigid smile by the man who now sat at the teachers' desk.

Jeritza stared unblinkingly at Dimitri with dark blue eyes, and those eyes held a sort of...fascination in them. As if Dimitri were a particularly interesting specimen that he oh so badly wanted to dissect.

"F-Felix is taking awhile, isn't he?" Dimitri said with a forced chuckle, if only to break the suffocating silence. "Would you like me to go—"

"No." Jeritza hadn't even yelled, hadn't moved his head from atop their perch upon his steepled fingers, but there was a force behind them that made Dimitri inclined to obey.

"Oh. Well...if that is what you wish."

Jeritza hummed softy to himself before standing so sharply the chair he sat on sent an almost deafening screech into the stagnate atmosphere.

Dimitri flinched.

"Such a skittish little creature," Jeritza said, but the observant way he said it gave Dimitri the impression that he was saying it as a statement rather than in mockery. "And yet so much power dancing within..."

The man slowly and gracefully walked around the teachers' desk and strode over to Dimitri's, the prince feeling mounting anxiety the closer he got to him.

Goddess, why was he so scared? Jeritza had done nothing to him and yet every instinct within him was commanding him to run away...

Jeritza stood before him, head tilted to the side almost curiously as he pressed his palms against Dimitri's desk and leaned forward. Dimitri could see his own wide-eyed and terrified face perfectly reflected in those daunting eyes. "You have a darkness, I know it. I've seen it."

"I—Professor I don't—" Dimitri's confused and tense stammer was abruptly cut off as Jeritza grabbed his face, fingers squishing his cheeks.

The prince made a muffled noise of surprise as Jeritza narrowed his eyes. "I wonder...I wonder how I can call that darkness—"

"I don't why you couldn't do it yourself but I got Ingrid and she's getting—" Dimitri, who's face was effectively stuck in place could only see his saviour from the corner of his eye. Confusion momentarily clouded Felix's face before his amber eyes sharpened, flashing to Jeritza. "What are you doing?" He said in a dangerously slow tone.

Jeritza spared Felix a lazy glance before letting go of Dimitri's face. The boy sucked in a shape breath and sat back in his seat, body thrumming with unease as Jeritza stated, "Nothing."

Felix's scowl did not leave, and his eyes followed Jeritza as he spun on his heel and took a seat behind the teachers' desk once more.

After a moment, Felix took his seat as well and the rest of the Lions filed in soon after.

"Oh, Dimitri! I never knew you were let out of The Infirmary!" Mercedes said with a smile. Jeritza glanced at her, but his eyes didn't hold an eerie and inexplicable fascination in them...instead there was...sorrow?

"We were all so worried!" Annette cried. "I'm super glad you're okay."

The expression on Jeritza's face was soon gone as he turned his face forward once more and told the Lions, "Where are the others?"

Ingrid staggered in panting a moment later and gasped, "S-Sorry, Professor! I didn't—oh, Your Highness! I didn't know you were—!"

"In hindsight I suppose I should have told you all I was alright," Dimitri said with a bashful smile. "I'm sorry."

"Nevertheless, Your Highness. I am...relieved that you've recovered so quickly. I was growing worried I must admit," Dedue said.

"We all were," Ashe piped up.

Dimitri smiled at the Lions, feeling a deep sense of happiness at the affection he was being shown. "I have no intention of dying any time soon, my friends, don't you worry."

"Aye, that's what I wanna here!" Sylvain grinned and gave Dimitri a good natured punch on the shoulder.

"Good," Jeritza cut in, and Dimitri tensed as the Professor regarded the prince with that chillingly dark fascination again. "I need to duel you first."

Dimitri gave him another forced smile. "Ah...yes! Surely we can duel soon, if you wish."

Jeritza smiled wistfully before he sat back down, gaze sweeping across the entire classroom and mercifully, the look in his eyes and the mysterious smile faded.

"I am Professor Jeritza, your new new and permanent teacher for the Blue Lions class," he stated.

Dimitri blinked twice and regarded Jeritza with surprise. "'Permanent?' I thought you were merely substitute until Professor Hanneman returned?"

Jeritza steepled his fingers and placed his chin atop them once more, giving Dimitri a cool glance. Despite the neutrality of his face, he couldn't help but feel like the look was...mirthful.

"Yes... _substitute_ as in, Hanneman shall no longer teach and I now fulfill his purpose."

The words held forebodingly in the air, and Dimitri could tell all the Blue Lions could feel it—all of them tensed, shifting bodies and bitten lips filled the room.

"You say that as if he's...gone, Professor but I hardly think that's the case. According to Professor Manuela he needed to be sent away for further treatment, but surely he'll be alright soon." Dimitri insisted. He knew it was rude to assert that Jeritza's job was merely temporary—but if Jeritza was here to stay than that meant Hanneman...

Dimitri swallowed and dispelled the thought with a shake of his head.

"Oh no! He really is out of commission, isn't he?" Mercedes said worriedly. Jeritza turned to look at her, his expression flickering to something unrecognizably sorrowful again before it smoothed out.

It was something that reminded Dimitri a lot of Edelgard.

"Do you know when he's coming back?" Annette asked curiously. "Did Professor Manuela say when he'll get better?"

"I do..." Jeritza said, drawing the two words out as if they were delicious treats. An eerie smile spread across his face, as did the haunting look in his eyes. "He has gone on a very, very long journey I'm afraid, and will not return."

More uneasy silence followed and Dimitri felt dread weigh down on his heart like an immovable boulder of misery.

"But that is besides the point," Jeritza said, smile fading back into a look of neutrality as he appraised the class once more with his dark blue eyes. "As your Professor, I must choose a topic and simply explain it, yes?"

Ingrid nodded stiffly. "Y-yes sir."

 _"Foolishness."_ Jeritza stood up with a scowl. "We will be doing practical teachings. Speaking orally and expecting you to learn complex battle techniques and spells is pure idiocy. Now then..."

Jeritza crossed his arms behind his back and walked down the class aisle with a slow and elegant stride. "How many of you know magic?"

Only Annette and Mercedes rose their hands.

"And archers?"

Annette dropped her hand and Ashe rose his.

"How woefully inadequate," Jeritza drawled with a sigh. "With the lot of you only using close ranged combat and having only two possible healers, you put your House at a solemn disadvantage."

Felix scoffed and Dimitri fought the urge to jump from his seat and clamp a palm over his friend's mouth. The prince had a dreadful feeling that Professor Jeritza was not a man that should be angered—and Felix's sharp tongue would certainly put him on his bad side.

But the explanation for such crass behaviour would be possibly offensive, would it not? "Oh I'm sorry Professor, I merely assumed you would attack my friend is all!" That wouldn't fly all that well. And he hardly knew the man, after all; Dimitri's intuition could be incorrect.

Even with that reasoning, Dimitri could not forget the irrational panic he had felt when he had grabbed his face, and still flinched sharply when Jeritza's eyes flashed and zeroed in on Felix within a split second before the swordsman continued with, "Magic is for weaklings who lack the discipline to wield and master a weapon."

"Hey!" Annette cried at the same time Jeritza gave another slow and eerie smile.

"Is that so? In that case we shall prove the validity of your statement. Unsheathe that weapon you supposedly have the discipline to wield and become my first demonstration."

Felix smirked and stood. "Fine," he said haughtily.

"Felix, wait a moment—" Dimitri said, getting up from his seat only to be stopped with a raised hand from Jeritza.

"If you would like to fight me, Dimitri," he began, eyes taking on the horribly fascinating look again. "I can take you up on your offer in my spare time. Right now I am afraid I have a class to teach."

Swallowing, Dimitri slowly sat back in his chair and watched the two warily.

Felix unsheathed his sword, the blade glittering in the dull morning light and Jeritza remained still, hands remaining crossed casually behind his back.

"Well?" Felix asked with a frown. "Aren't you going to ready a spell?"

"Hmm? Oh no. I don't need to fight the likes of you to prove the disadvantages of melee combat."

Felix furrowed his brow. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Jeritza shrugged. "Nothing. I'm simply not in the mood to expend precious energy."

Felix scoffed and sank into a fighting stance. "Fine. Your loss."

Felix charged suddenly in a blur of black and a glint of silver and he swung his sword in a wide arc. Jeritza leapt back nimbly, and danced to the side to avoid a follow up side swing.

Felix pivoted, aiming for a spin attack with a loud war cry but Jeritza caught his forearm with ease, squeezed, and before Felix could break free, Jeritza had twisted the arm in his grasp and shoved Felix to the wooden ground.

Felix grunted as he hit the wood and tried to get up but Jeritza placed a foot atop his chest and eliminated the possibility.

"No...it appears this would be your loss, Felix Fraldarius," Jeritza stated causally to the writhing swordsman beneath his boot.

"Now then," he said, stepping off an angrily flushed and humiliated Felix, "Seeing as how the rest of you are throughly convinced of melee combat's inferiority—yes?" Jeritza paused to give Ashe and his raised hand a sideways glance.

"No disrespect, Professor Jeritza but...does beating someone who just happens to prefer melee weapons make long ranged attacks suddenly superior?"

"Yes," Jeritza said simply before continuing onwards. "As I was saying, I will instruct you on casting a Fire spell. Take out your books."

Dimitri and the other Lions took their previous books out and set them atop their desk.

"Now," Jeritza said, turning on his heel to face the class, a book of his own in hand. "We will spend the rest of this class trying to set it aflame."

Dimitri balked. "Set it aflame? Professor Jeritza, these books belong to the church!"

"Who they belong to is inconsequential. They are horribly inaccurate and I despise them and thus they will burn."

"Uh...inaccurate in what way, sir?" Sylvain asked with a frown.

"Oh, plenty of ways. It is so utterly atrocious I won't repeat them and give you misinformation," Jeritza responded as his book burst into flames.

"But, Professor," Ingrid said, "Shouldn't we decide for ourselves if the information is useful or no—"

"No."

Ingrid clamped her mouth shut and looked down at her book with uncertainty.

"But...I don't feel comfortable burning them," Ashe said nervously. "Can't we burn something else?"

Jeritza sighed heavily in annoyance and cancelled the flames on his book, setting the half charred tome aside with a scowl. "Do all of you have reservations on burning books?"

There were a few muttered affirmatives and Sylvain shrugged with an "Eh."

"Fine. You will fling them at one another instead here in this classroom."

Dimitri tensed and Ingrid said, "But, Professor, this is a wooden classroom and as you demonstrated, the Fire Spell is—"

"The next student insolent enough to talk back to me will find themselves writhing on the floor like a slug drenched in salt," Jeritza said casually as if he had made a mundane statement.

Silence.

"But...I do suppose it would be folly to launch flames within a flammable structure—especially seeing as how you are all unsure of how to properly control such power." Jeritza frowned in thought before stating. "In this case we shall—"

"Morning, Professor! Something to report!" A cheerful Knight chirped as he handed Jeritza a note.

Jeritza let out another annoyed sigh and snatched it as the knight saluted and trotted out of the classroom.

The man's eyes narrowed as he looked upon the note before it burst into flame. "Class dismissed," he said as he turned on his heel and stalked outdoors.

Dimitri felt the tension in his muscle blissfully unravel as Felix sneered, "What a waste of time."

"Come now, Felix! Let's not be rude," Mercedes frowned. "Without Professor Jeritza we wouldn't be having any class."

"That...is true," Dimitri admitted with a frown. Though at the same time, he couldn't deny how truly anxious Professor Jeritza made him feel. "What do you all think of him?"

"Lousy," Felix said immediately and Sylvain snickered. "You're just saying that because he kicked your ass, Fe. Personally I find it a bit early for judgment."

"I thought he was terrifying," Ashe shivered. "It was like...I don't know how to explain it."

"Same here," Annette frowned. "It was his eyes—there's something super creepy there!"

"I do not like the way he looks at His Highness in particular," Dedue added darkly.

Ah, so Dedue had noticed it to. He supposed it wasn't too much of a shock, his retainer was very perceptive after all.

"Hmm, what do you mean, Dedue?" Mercedes asked curiously as Dimitri tried fruitlessly to banish all thoughts off that look with a shake of his head.

"Like he was a piece of meat fit for devouring," Felix supplied and Dedue nodded in solemn agreement. "That man is more beastly than The Boar himself."

"We don't know him, Sylvain is right," Ingrid said. "But if he's a possible threat to His Highness we need to keep a close eye on him."

**-o0o-**

How could they do this to her?

Ice-cream, the cafeteria was selling _ice-cream_ and Edelgard had only figured this out just now!

The princess stared longingly at the menu where it proudly— _mockingly_ proclaimed _Strawberry Ice-cream: 3 gold._

Edelgard bit her bottom lip and squeezed the tray in her hand. She loved strawberry...

But she couldn't possibly buy it; not with so many witnesses! People already saw her as a love-sick teenager secretly loving Dimitri by night and shunning him by day (or some such foolishness), she need not have her love of dessert be added on top of that. If only she had come earlier...oh, she could wait until everyone was gone but what if it was done by then?

Should she swallow her pride and just buy it or—?

"Edelgard?" A horrifyingly familiar voice asked. The girl tensed and glanced over her shoulder to find Dimitri waiting behind her with a curious frown. Immediately, multiple heads in the Dining Hall turned to stare at them. "Are you going to order?"

"Yes, sorry," Edelgard muttered, trying and failing to keep the warmth from devouring the pale of her cheeks as she fished out her coin purse and turned to the server. "Just the vegetable wraps, please."

The server left briefly to complete her order before returning with the lunch and placing it on Edelgard's tray. She uttered a simple thank you and moved to to sit at The Black Eagles table. Had Dimitri seen her staring? She was sure he wouldn't tease her about it but—

 _'Stop it,'_ she told herself. And so what if he saw? She hadn't nothing to be ashamed of! Even though she was fantasizing about ice-cream instead of thinking about her goals...

She shook her head firmly. There would be a time for ice-cream—now simply wasn't it.

As Edelgard took her seat beside Hubert she sighed softly and unwrapped her knife and fork from the napkin they were cocooned in.

"You seem rather down, Lady Edelgard," Hubert noted.

Edelgard was about to turn to him with a reply when Caspar unceremoniously plopped onto the bench in front of her and groused, "Man! I swear those Deer get special treatment from Lady Rhea! Why do they get to go on a mission and we can't?"

"I'm personally fine with that," Lindhart said as he sat behind Caspar with a yawn. "Let them do all the killing. Soon all that'll be left are peaceful patrol and escort missions."

"Psh, hardly! The Blue Lions got ambushed by a local freak in a mask on _their_ 'peaceful' patrol mission. All this means for us is that we're stuck doing jack all with our learned skills!" Caspar grumbled and stabbed into his plate as if the food had personally offended him.

"The Golden Deer are going on a mission?" Edelgard said with a frown. "This is the first time I'm hearing of this."

"Oh yeah, Rhea sent them after those Western Church morons and they're leaving today. It's all the way in the Kingdom after all," Caspar said with a full mouth.

"It's _Lady_ Rhea, Caspar," Ferdinand told him as he took a seat next to Edelgard—much to her dismay. "And as much as I too would like to show off my superior prowess with my lance and horse riding, I do believe with masked knights running around, it isn't the safest."

Rumours. That had been bee excuse to Rhea, she had heard rumours and gotten worried. The Archbishop had seemed too relieved at the students' safety to be suspicious but Seteth had not.

_"And you knew he would attack the Lions specifically? Quite the intuition, Princess."_

Rhea had effectively cut him off with a mild chiding but Seteth's narrowed gaze had remained.

Edelgard was _already_ garnering suspicion and it frustrated her to no end.

"Then why are the Golden Deer going? Gah, it makes no sense! I'm telling you, it's favouritism!"

"Who cares? Both of you shut up so I can sleep."

"Lindhart, why'd you even come here if you're sleepy? Yeesh!"

Edelgard was also confused as to why Rhea had sent students to deal with a rebellion after what happens to The Blue Lions—why that was absolute madness to her! She supposed this went to show how incompetent the church truly was.

Buy that was good—this meant the Holy Mausoleum was ripe for the Agarthans's plans.

Beside her, Dorothea dropped gracefully onto the bench and purred, "Oh Edie! When is you and Dimitri's wedding?"

Edelgard's fork paused half-way to her mouth and she huffed, glaring at the girl. "Don't tell me you believe those foolish rumours, Dorothea."

Dorothea snorted and poked Edelgard lightly in the shoulder. "Of course not, I'm only teasing. But anyway, me and Ingrid were going to have a—"

"No, Dorothea."

Dorothea sighed disappointedly. "I really thought that romantic night with The Prince would've softened you up to the prospect of human interaction."

"You mean the night you and Professor Manuela forced me into?"

"Oh come on, Edie! I read your essay; you enjoyed it!"

Edelgard turned back to her food and didn't answer. In truth, she supposed Dorothea was correct; she had enjoyed that night with Dimitri—horrible play aside. But now...now when things were starting to grow more tense she couldn't possibly get distracted now.

"Perhaps," she admitted. "But as I've said before, I am a busy person."

Dorothea hummed and turned to her dish, cutting it delicately. "Alright, but just know the invitation is open."

"I'll keep that in..." Edelgard's voice trailed off when she caught sight of Jeritza in the serving line. "...mind—Hubert, save this for me, yes? I'll be right back." She didn't even wait for a response as she stood sharply and marched purposefully towards the man.

"Professor Jeritza, is it?" She said in faux calmness, when she reached the masked figure.

Jeritza blinked at her. "...yes."

"Is it alright if I speak with you?"

"Fine. After I—"

_"Now?"_

Jeritza frowned. "I want ice cream."

Edelgard's polite smile tightened and Jeritza sighed in defeat. Reluctantly, he stepped out of line and followed.

"This...teaching position, did The Agarthans put you up to this?" Edelgard asked as soon as they were out of the Dining Hall.

"Yes."

"And didn't I tell you not to take orders from them?" Edelgard demanded, stopping abruptly to turn and glare at Jeritza.

Jeritza shrugged. "You did...and I ignored you."

Edelgard narrowed her eyes at him. "You do realize that this relationship we have only works if you cooperate with me?"

"Yes."

"Then why disobey?"

"I wanted to see Dimitri again," Jeritza said, a tiny smile spreading across his face, eyes alight with an emotion she couldn't quite place. "I am certain he will be the one to bring me to death's gates—how I long for its sweet em—"

"You disobeyed a direct order from me and played along with those...things just so you could get a chance at being killed by Dimitri?" Edelgard asked incredulously.

"Yes."

Edelgard shook her head and crossed her arms with a scoff. "Unbelievable."

"But as of now he seems fairly frightened of me—very unlike the pure rage and hatred he portrayed when I first fought him," Jeritza said thoughtfully, a musing expression taking over his face. "Why he fights me as The Death Knight but fears me when I hold that side of me under control is bewildering..."

"Death Knight," Edelgard said firmly and Jeritza blinked dazedly, looking down at her with semi-unfocused eyes and a "Hmm?"

"This is the last time you disobey me, understood?"

Jeritza sighed heavily. "Fine."

"And..." Edelgard began to add, then paused.

Jeritza rose his eyebrows. "And?"

Edelgard inhaled slowly before giving Jeritza a firm glare. "Stay away from Dimitri."

Jeritza tilted his head to the side and regarded Edelgard for a moment before responding with, "That...I cannot promise."

Edelgard couldn't say another word of protest before Jeritza turned on his heel and strode back towards the Dining Hall.

The princess huffed and turned away, leaning forward against the stone banister and letting the cool wind comb through her hair.

She couldn't, for the life of her figure out why she cared so much.

**-o0o-**

Nerves threatened to paralyze Edelgard's entire body as she helped decorate the ballroom with teal tulle and green chrysanthemums for the upcoming Rite of Rebirth. It was only through sheer willpower and practice that her hands weren't shaking madly.

For the near entirety of the Blue Sea Moon, The Golden Deer had been mildly subdued and The Blue Lions even more so—what with one of their members, Ashe (who had apparently been Lonato's adopted son) locking himself in his room out of grief.

Edelgard has to continually remind herself that this was for the best, that soon all this pain and suffering would be worth it all.

Fluffing up one of the bouquets she had finished, Edelgard could see Dimitri from the corner of her eye. His brow was furrowed in absolute concentration, tongue poking slightly out from between his semi-parted lips—all this so he could gently polish the saucer held gingerly in his hand.

Assumedly feeling eyes on him, Dimitri glanced up from his task and caught her gaze, a tiny smile gracing his lips. "Excited for the festivities, Edelgard?"

"Quite," She lied. "I hear the food for such events are phenomenal."

"Ah, feasts," Dimitri chuckled wistfully as he gently placed the saucer down and adjusted it neatly atop the others it was stacked atop before picking another and polishing that. "I can't remember the last time I've enjoyed one."

Edelgard rose a skeptical eyebrow, "You, future king of Faerghus can't remember the last time you enjoyed a feast?"

"Oh, don't misunderstand; I've been to plenty—my uncle is...rather fond of them. It's just..." he paused both in speech and his polishing before the back and forth or the rag continued and Dimitri reclaimed his voice. "I haven't been able to taste a thing in four years. It's hard to enjoy the finest delicacies offered to you when you can't taste what's supposedly so fantastic, you see."

It was Edelgard's turn to pause, in the middle of snipping a stem she let that information sweep over her before continuing. "I'm...sorry."

"No need," Dimitri said, giving her a sad smile. "I've gotten used to it. Though if I could I'd—I'd think I would want it back."

"I could imagine," Edelgard said sympathetically, finding herself frowning at the thought of having a chocolate piece melt on her tongue and not tasting a thing—at the thought that such a thing was already a reality for Dimitri. She then lightly added, "But you may never be able to have Flayn's cooking again."

Dimitri laughed, and gave Edelgard a tiny grin. "I doubt it, the passion placed within it is far too captivating to let go of."

"Passion doesn't equal quality—as I'm sure we've learned already."

"Ah, yes. We learned it rather amusingly that day, didn't we?"

"Amusingly? Speak for yourself! I contemplated suicide," And then Edelgard cursed herself for the joke, remembering who she was speaking with. But thankfully, Dimitri let out another amused laugh. "You? The great Edelgard von Hresvelg? I doubt it."

Edelgard smiled and the two lapsed into a companionable silence that was only broken up by the squeaking of glass and the snip of scissors slicing through flower stems and tulle alike. Dimitri then stated with some amusement, "I realize this is the first conversation we've had in quite some time."

And that simple, mildly hopeful statement immediately reminded Edelgard of _why_ she had been avoiding this in the first place and thus, her mood immediately plummeted.

Her returning nerves migrated to her scissor hand and by extension into the too deep and embarrassingly uneven cut she'd made in the newest piece of tulle.

Sensing her dampened mood, Dimitri's smile faded and he quickly said, "Oh! I—my apologies I...I overstepped again, haven't I?"

"It isn't you," Edelgard reassured him. It was The Agarthans—or more accurately their insistent meddling with both their lives that kept her from getting too close.

Speaking of meddling...

"Your new Professor, how is he?" Edelgard asked, and nearly regretted it when she saw Dimitri noticeably tense and the elegant teacup he was holding shattered.

The prince let out a colourful stream of curses as he knelt to collect the broken pieces as he said, "He's...fine. Why?"

If his reaction was any indicator, that was a blatant lie. But he was alive and presumably well so at least the insane Professor hadn't done anything physically to Dimitri.

So she chose a different, analytical, non-friendly topic that wouldn't give her amusement in any way—but at the same time nothing that would make him anxious or suspicious; she'd hardly get accurate information that way. So alas, asking about the letter Arundel had sent to his friend Ingrid would have to wait. Instead she stated, "I realize The Golden Deer are absent."

"Hmm? Oh, they're patrolling the Holy Mausoleum," Dimitri supplied, a note of relief in his voice that the Jeritza topic wasn't being expanded upon.

Edelgard stopped her movement and her eyes widened. "Pardon? I mean...why?"

"I'm sure you've heard of the assassination plot against Lady Rhea?" Dimitri asked, and when Edelgard nodded he continued with, "Well, Claude was dubious of its validity and suspected it was a distraction—I have to agree as well; keeping a note detailing such information seems fairly suspicious—Edelgard?"

Dimitri hadn't even finished before Edelgard had began briskly walking away, pulse pounding in her eardrums and hands twitching at her sides, now lacking the energy to control them.

That was there master plan? To use the most obvious ruse imaginable?

Fools. All of them.

No matter. Now she just needed to draw The Deer away.

**-o0o-**

_"Honestly! We're missing the festivities and nobody is here! Can we leave? Please?"_ Sothis whined.

"That could be just what they're waiting for," Byleth muttered back to her as she rounded a pillar and continued to search.

 _"_ Or _you and that archer boy's logic is flawed! I heard they were bringing in dancers, Byleth! Dancers! You have no idea how badly I wish to see them!"_

"Be patient," Byleth said.

"It's clear over here, Professor Byleth!" Raphael called, voice echoing in the large dimly lit chamber. "Can we leave now? I'm getting kinda hungry."

"Patience," Byleth repeated her statement to Sothis to him. "We have to be absolutely certain that nobody is going to show up."

"Well, how about this?" Hilda piped up. "We can leave now and rush back at the first sign of trouble! Sounds good, right?"

"The time it takes to run back here from The Ballroom could make a world of difference," Lysithea said. "I vouch we—"

Even from where they were, the sound of an explosion could be heard.

"Damnit! We had the wrong place!" Leonie cried as she and the other Golden Deer brandished their weapons and went charging out of the Mausoleum.

 _"Seriously? You mean to say we could've been enjoying dinner and performances all this time?"_ Sothis cried.

"Not now, Sothis," Byleth said tightly as their footsteps carry them to the empty hallway—that was until several Knights poured into them with weapons, and one—Catherine—paused to call out, "Professor! There are suspicious figures attacking The Ballroom!"

Claude paused and frowned. "The Ballroom?"

"Claude, will you hurry up? Goddess!" Lorenz snapped over his shoulder.

"Hold on!" He called to the Deer. Byleth skidded to a stop and regarded Claude curiously, noticing the familiar suspicious look in those vibrant green eyes. Byleth held up a hand to stop her students and nodded towards Claude to silently ask him to voice his worries.

"Something isn't right," the boy said darkly.

"Yeah, obviously! People are getting attacked!" Hilda exclaimed.

"No, guys, think! These people tried to distract us by acting as if they're going after the Archbishop—but really they're after something else."

"We've _established_ that, Claude," Lorenz said with an eye-roll.

Claude ignored him and continued, "So...they threatened The Archbishop on the very specific day of The Rite of Rebirth to do what? Crash a party? That doesn't make sense; why go through all the trouble? What exactly do they gain other than sick satisfaction?"

Byleth frowned in thought and nodded slowly. "You think it's another distraction."

Claude gave Byleth a mirthless smile. "That I do, Teach."

"But...people are still being attacked," Ignatz pointed out. "We have to help them ms the Knights don't we?"

"Besides, you could be absolutely incorrect," Lorenz added. "What if those people are trying to kidnap a particular person?"

"We split up," Lysithea suggested and Byleth nodded in agreement before saying, "Claude, Hilda, Lysithea—with me. The rest of you go to The Ballroom."

There were overlapped words of affirmative before the two groups split off.

As the foursome dashed into The Holy Mausoleum, Claude cursed. "I knew it."

"Damn!" A voice growled in he distance, a blue glow emanating from his hands. "Death Knight, get those brats!"

The four Deer stopped abruptly as the sound of hooves echoed throughout the room, turning sharply to the right, Byleth saw an onyx armoured rider atop a equally pitch horse galloping from the shadows. The man brandished his scythe and it crackled with electricity. "Gladly," he stated ominously from beneath his mask.

Byleth narrowed her eyes, shouted, "Stand back!" To her students and charged forward with her iron sword. Just as Death Knight prepared to swing his scythe, Byleth dropped to her knees, using the smooth marble and her momentum to slide beneath the knight's horse and stab her sword in its abdomen.

As she slid out from under, the horse let out a pained whinny and collapsed, forcing the knight to jump off to avoid being trapped beneath its body.

"Woo! Cool move, Teach!" Claude cried happily—but quickly moved to leap out of the way of a Thunder Spell.

"Do _not_ let that hit you!" Byleth said firmly. "Hilda, get that mage by the casket!"

"Right!" Hilda nodded firmly and Byleth was surprised she wasn't hearing any complaints from her pink haired student as she dashed off.

Death Knight charged for her but was stopped as Lysithea blocked his path. "I don't think so!" She snapped, before letting loose a barrage of Dark Spikes.

The Death Knight leapt side to side, dodging each and every one with maddening ease before swinging his scythe, the blade crackling with electricity.

Lysithea gritted her teeth and leapt backwards, nimbly jumping out of range and sending a giant orb of Miasma at him simultaneously.

The solid purple orb hit its mark, sending Death Knight hard to the ground and crumbling the marble. "You..." he said in a voice of near awe before rolling out of the way of Lysithea's next Dark Spikes attack.

Death Knight spun to block a blow from Byleth's sword before grabbing her wrist and sending her flying towards another orb of Miasma that Lysithea had been sending his way.

Byleth cried in both surprise and pain as the spell slammed against her armour and sent her skidding across the floor. Sothis hissed in sympathy within her mind and Lysithea cried, "Professor, I'm so sorry!"

"Never you mind, help Hilda!" Byleth commanded just before Death Knight's scythe swung towards her. She quickly rolled out of the way as an arrow thunked against his spiked armour.

"Hey, Jerk!" Claude called and Death Knight turned to look at the archer with his eerie red eyes, giving Byleth the perfect opportunity to scramble to her feet and charge once more.

Death Knight had already lunged towards Claude though, and the archer was stuck dodging; his arrows completely useless.

"Forget him!" The mage at the Mausoleum's end barked as he held up one of his hands and used the other to continue opening the casket. "Get the girls!"

An unfamiliar Crest flashed blue in midair before a translucent barrier appeared, stopping Hilda and Lysithea from going any further.

Hilda growled and threw her entire weight into her axe swing. The barrier cracked and the mage squawked in horror.

Byleth's attention was snatched back to her present battle when she heard Claude cry out in pain and the sound of crunching bones as he slammed against a pillar.

The Professor inhaled sharply, eyes wide as they darted between The Death Knight charging his scythe and the groaning Claude, helpless against the pillar.

Byleth didn't even think, just charged forward, jumping before the Thunder Spell without another thought.

 _"Teach!"_ She heard Claude exclaim before light filled her vision, the anticipation of pain rushing adrenaline through her body—

And everything froze.

**-o0o-**

It was them.

That was the only thought that managed to worm its way into Dimitri's brain as The Ballroom descended into chaos.

Students evacuated the area, Knights were hit with dark spells, tables exploded, glass shattered...but all Dimitri could see were the people responsible for it all.

Their bird masks, their dark robes, their Reason Spells.

It was them.

One of them turned to him, and suddenly Dimitri was a boy again, tiny and helpless and about to die. All quivering limbs and wide eyes and pleas at the tip of his tongue—

The mage turned away and shot Thoron at a Knight instead.

Dimitri blinked in bewilderment. What on—?

A masked mage gurgled blood and collapsed beside him and Felix pulled his sword from his corpse. He fixed Dimitri with a sharp glare and snapped, " _Focus_ , Boar!"

Yes. Focus. It was them.

_**It was them.** _

The fear disappeared and Dimitri grinned slowly, hand gripping his sword hilt so hard it dented before he lunged into the fray with a delighted cackle.

With one swing, he lopped a mage's head off, and with another the severed arm of the next. The corpse covered him in its blood and the mage that had lost his arm screamed in agony. Dimitri licked the blood off his lips and stabbed his sword through the pathetic creature's skull before charging off to find his next victim.

A mage in the midst of blasting a Knight met his end after Dimitri rammed his elbow against his face. He relished in the feeling of the mage's shattering bones and the sight of blood seeping from within the mask before he kicked another so hard in the throat that his head snapped back and he fell to the blood soaked floor limp.

As Dimitri continued to slay the monsters that had taken his loved ones, he could hear them crying in joy, heard them cheering him on and praising him. It sent a warmth through Dimitri's chest even as the blood drenching his skin and uniform chilled a now buried and horrified part of him begging him to stop.

But he didn't stop.

"No!" A mage wheezed as Dimitri held him by his throat and squeezed. "No! Merc—!" Dimitri grabbed his face and snapped it firmly to the left, silencing him forever.

He tossed the corpse away and looked around him, searching the bloodied ballroom for any more survivors as his chest heaved and his body shook with euphoria.

Only when he could find no more, only when all he could see were the corpses of mage and knight alike did he feel the blood caking his skin, the metal tang of it burning his nose, the weight of it hanging heavy on his clothes.

And heavier still was the weight of shame.

Dimitri slid to his knees, euphoria fading into horror, and heavy panting becoming heavy sobs.

What had he done? Oh Goddess what was wrong with him? He could still feel the bones cracking beneath his fingertips, hear the screams of agony—

He sucked in a sharp breath as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, there stood Lambert, and for the first time since he died, smiling.

No, grinning—rotting teeth and all.

"Your Highness," Lambert said. And when Dimitri blinked in mild confusion he saw Dedue instead, loyal Dedue with his solid hand on his shoulder and his green eyes filled with concern.

"D-Dedue," he whispered, hearing the murmurs of fear from the remaining Knights and students surrounding his prostrated form. "I—" his voice broke and he pulled Dedue against him, squeezing him into a tight sob filled hug.

**-o0o-**

"Honestly! What were you trying to accomplish with that little stunt?" Sothis snapped angrily.

Byleth gave the girl an indignant frown. "I couldn't let him die and I couldn't think of anything else."

Sothis puffed her cheeks before sighing heavily. "Well...everything is fine. I stopped the flow of time for now."

Byleth hesitated before asking, "What will happen once time resumes?"

"The Thunder Spell with hit your heart and you will share Hanneman's fate," Sothis huffed as Byleth flinched.

"But, if I could stop time perhaps I can—ah! Here we are! I'll send you back just a tiny bit; do not make such a folly mistake again!"

Before Byleth could respond, the world shattered around her and she was back o the marble floor.

"Hey, Jerk!"

Pushing away the uncomfortable send of déjà vu, Byleth didn't even wait until Death Knight turned around this time, she lunged forward and attempted to stab at him with a furious war cry.

He jumped back and charged towards Byleth instead of Claude—much to her relief—and the two begin a deadly bladed dance.

Once again, the mage pulls up a Crest shield, and once again Hilda caused it to crack dangerously. But before she could finish the job, several mages appeared in flashes of pink light and began to join the fray, forcing Lysithea and Hilda away from the barrier.

One mage's attempted to send Miasma towards Byleth was quickly thwarted as Claude fired an arrow at his throat. The mage gurgled and collapsed but more replaced him.

"Yes!" The mage at the casket cried. "It's unsealed it's—a sword?"

Hilda cut through a mage that was in her path before slamming her axe against the barrier and shattering it.

"We have something! Let's get out of here!" The Casket Mage called before grabbing an oddly glowing sword and disappearing in a pink flash of light.

The Death Knight shoved Byleth aside and disappeared too with an annoyed sigh and the other mages quickly followed suit.

"They got away," Byleth cursed through her panting as she threw down her sword. "Damn it..."

"Goddess, who _were_ those creeps?" An equally winded Hilda demanded as she hefted her axe atop her shoulder.

"I—" Lysithea stared dazedly. "I-I think I know them but I'm not fully sure."

"Well, one thing's for sure," Claude said with a frown. "That thing they stole was definitely a Hero's Relic."

Byleth turned to Claude in mild surprise. "Those weapons you told me about?"

"Just the same—I could tell by the freaky orange glowing."

Hilda sighed and her shoulder slumped. "Oh gosh. If that's what they stole, Rhea's going to kill us..."

**-o0o-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: And there you have it! Plot progression, action, and a dash of Dimigard! Next chapter will be split into three parts and I’ve been planning it for weeks! Let’s just say it’s a lil twist on the Miklan is Causing Trouble with his Family Heirloom Weapon Because He’s Salty Arc—and it’s spiced with 98% more Dimigard than the previous chapters :D 
> 
> Also, anyone can figure out what Crest the Casket Mage was using for his shield? ;3
> 
> Till next time!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	13. The Prince in Distress: Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Happy First of May and WELCOME BACK to another episode of, “Sad Children!”
> 
> Sorry for the delay, you see, this chapter is the first of what I call a “Weekend Chapter!”
> 
> Basically, a chapter that will be split into three parts, and each chapter will be posts one after the other. So today is part one, tomorrow will be part two, and the chapter climax will take place on Sunday!
> 
> If you guys like this, I can do it for future chapters with long arcs as well :D I’m actually planning a “Week Chapter” for the Academy Phase Finale, so again, if you like the format that’s something you can be excited for.
> 
> That’s one of the reasons it took all of April for me to post—I had to write all three chapter so I could post them one after the other without a hitch.
> 
> Another thing I’d like to ask your opinions on—a reviewer on the FF.net version of this story expressed their frustration with Byleth and Claude being inconsequential to the main story arc. Do you guys feel that is an issue as well? Like I told my other readers, if so you can give me suggestions on how to rectify that!
> 
> Anyway, without further ado...chapter 13!

It had been almost too easy.

At midnight, Miklan and his group of bandits had taken The Gautier Estate completely by surprise, crashing through the front gates with powerful spells and axes and dropping the guards with arrows and swords.

And then, as they made it to the gardens, trampling bushes and murdering fleeing servants, out came dear old daddy.

“Father!” Miklan called gleefully from atop his steed, grin sharp and deadly as Jasper Gautier threw open the front doors with The Lance of Ruin in hand, armour strapped over what he was pretty sure were pyjamas (Ha!), and scowl on his face as the wind played with his scarlet hair. “How are things? You look like shit, as always!”

Some of Miklan’s bandits laughed in response and Jasper narrowed his eyes. “I told you clearly before, Miklan. You were never to show your face here again.”

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, Father. But I don’t answer to you stuffy in-bred Crest Bearing nobles anymore. I govern myself,” Miklan swung off his horse and Jasper’s guards sank into fighting positions. _“Meaning_ , that I don’t follow the rules of your backwards bullshit society; your words mean _nothing_ to me.”

“Then why have you returned?” Jasper challenged. “Why come back here?”

Miklan tilted his head towards the weapon in his father’s hand and simply stated, “I want my weapon back.”

Jasper scoffed. “Not a chance. The Lance of Ruin is a Gautier heirloom—you are no longer a Gautier and thus, have no right to this weapon.”

Miklan threw his head back and laughed as he strode forward, unsheathing the lance strapped to his back. “Didn’t you hear me, Father? Your rules don’t apply to me! But since you’re being so stubborn about it...” Miklan pointed his lance forward and the bandits charged.

As his soldiers roared and poured forwards, Miklan stepped back and watched the battle with a satisfied smirk on his face. While the Gautier Knights were better trained, Miklan had more bandits, and within moments he was winning.

That was until Jasper joined the fray.

With a roar, the Margrave slashed through men as if they were butter, painting the once immaculate garden in blood and sending limbs flying in every direction.

Miklan scowled deeply and barked, “Mages! Get out there!”

“But, Boss!” One of his mage bandits cried. “We might hit our own—!”

_“Do it!”_

And Miklan watched with a wide smile as the tables of the battlefield flipped again, a smile that became a grin as the Margrave Gautier tumbled to the ground with pained cry as he was shot with Miasma.

The Gautier Knights were mostly rendered useless thanks to the magic being thrown at them and now all that was left was Miklan, his bandits, and Jasper as he was pinned to the grass with dark magic and multiple hands clasped around his arms and legs.

“What will you do, Miklan?” Jasper spat, eyes filled with rage and disgust. “Kill me? Take the Gautier Estate?”

“Nah,” Miklan shrugged, casually plucked The Lance of Ruin out of his slackened grip. “I want you to live and watch me become one of the greatest men to ever live, without a Crest, without the Margrave title, and without _you.”_

“You bare no Crest,” Jasper sneered. “You can never use that Hero’s Relic to its full potential.”

Miklan sneered at him chuckled, turning to the twitching blades of The Lance. “No? Say that to my face after I’ve proved to be ten times the man that you and your precious little shit Sylvain could ever be! Oh wait!”

Miklan pointed his weapon triumphantly in the air to the cheers of his still living bandits and grinned once more. “I already am!”

**-o0o-**

Dimitri had never seen a public execution before—certainly he had known they happened rather frequently in Faerghus, for his late father had zero tolerance for thieves, murderers, and rapists—but Lambert had never permitted Dimitri nor any of his childhood friends to see one, and Rufus was too busy using up the kingdom’s wealth to worry about crime.

If his younger self had known how horrible it was, he would have never protested about being banned from watching.

The Executioner’s axe glittered in the moon and torch light as it was raised. The Western Church priest could only call out a strangled “Wait!” from where he lay on his knees Before the axe fell, severing his head and spraying blood over the cobblestones.

Dimitri gasped, thoughts flickering to his father’s very similar death within Duscur’s flames before he perished the image swiftly. From beside the now headless priest stood Rhea, Seteth and Shamir, and as the corpse fell with a disgusting squelch that encouraged more blood to splatter over the stones and the three nearby overseers, Seteth flinched slightly, Shamir tensed and Rhea made not a single movement.

The woman’s eyes burned with a silent fury, lips pressed tightly together and fists clenched and shaking at her sides. Dimitri had never seen such an expression on the serene woman—an expression made considerably more sinister with the blood staining her face.

“Next,” she said in a cold whisper that the silent crowd still managed to hear.

“You don’t understand!” One of the priests cried as Shamir stoically grabbed his shoulders, lead him in front of the Executioner and slammed him viciously to the ground. His knee bones slamming against the stone was heard throughout the courtyard.

“I don’t understand?” Rhea questioned in a dangerously low voice, teal eyes narrowing menacingly. “You initiated a rebellion, infiltrated Garreg Mach Monastery, let in a small army of bird masked fiends that killed many of my knights, endangered the lives of every person in this building and stole _The Sword of the Creator!_ On the Rite of Rebirth no less! I understand plenty, you sinful unholy _abomination!”_

The crescendo in Rhea’s tirade, sent chills down Dimitri’s spine and he anxiously watched the Executioner raise their axe again.

“We were—!”

The axe fell a second time and Rhea didn’t so much as twitch when more blood painted her dress, hair and face red.

A boy from the crowd of Black Eagles with long dark green hair pulled into a pony tail heaved the contents of his stomach over the ground. And from beside Dimitri, Ashe squeezed his eyes shut and whimpered.

“The Goddess will never forgive you for our execution! We had no idea this would happen!” The next priest cried as he was led forward.

“Your very _existence_ is unforgivable to the Goddess!” Rhea roared. “The Western Church is a disease that from this day forth I. Will. _Purge!”_

“What?!” The final priest, clutched in place by two knights cried as his companion met the same headless fate of the other two. “We have nothing to do with the Western Church!”

“Spare the theatre,” Seteth said sharply, standing slightly away from the growing pool of blood decorating the ground. “You have already been identified. Not a word from your mouth will convince this warranted punishment from seizing.”

“Monsters! All of you!” The priest screeched as he struggled against Shamir. “You’ve killed countless of our brethren just like this!”

Shamir delivered a hard jab to the man’s stomach and forced him to his knees like the others. “Quiet,” she spat as he was held down by two Knights of Seiros.

“You will pay, Archbishop Rhea!” He screams. _“You will pay!”_

Rhea didn’t say a word as the axe fell for a final time.

As the corpse fell, it seemed to cast a spell of silence over the students and staff members watching. Some, had burst into tears, others, like the Black Eagles boy were throwing up, and many, like Ashe, refused to look at all.

There were of course others who wore a perfect mask of nonchalance—Edelgard for example, seemed predictably at ease with the whole ordeal and watched with unreadable eyes, even as blood soaked her boots.

Then there was the only one of his kind, Professor Jeritza who had a look of sick enjoyment on his face. The man caught Dimitri’s glance, dark blue eyes glittering in the torch’s fire and promoting Dimitri to swiftly look away.

“My friends,” Rhea said, turning to the crowd finally, a serene smile melting away the snarl on her lips. “Tonight was a lesson, a lesson in obedience, a lesson in humility, and a lesson in wrong doing.” She delicately folded her hands over her chest and walked forward, dress trailing in liquid crimson.

“These poor lost souls decided they were superior to The Goddess, and thus, in an act of sheer hubris, attempted to showcase their supposed power by infiltrating this holy sanctuary on such an important day.”

Her eyes hardened as they swept over the faces of the crowd. “Listen to me, children, faculty members, priests, and knights—if any of you threaten to raise your weapons to the heavens, you will receive no mercy.”

And from the corner of his eye, Dimitri saw Edelgard tilt her chin upwards with a subtle smirk.

It was his imagination, surely, because after Dimitri blinked, the expression was gone and her face was eerily neutral once more.

“That is all,” Rhea said, voice melodic and gentle once more. With a soft smile and an elegant bow she said, “May the Goddess be with you.”

The crowd dispersed in a flurry of whispered conversations and choked and horrified sobs and Dimitri had made a beeline for the bathhouse, eager to finally rid his skin of the dried blood of his fallen foes.

Dimitri swallowed as their black robes and beaked masks went through his mind—indeed he had been just as much judge, jury, and executioner as Rhea had been, just as angry and just as merciless.

They hadn’t even fought back...he couldn’t understand it.

But he had to remind himself that they killed his father that night and had killed innocents _this_ night—he shouldn’t have felt guilt, the blood caking his flesh shouldn’t have filled him with horror and regret. It should’ve filled him with pride and glee; he’d made his father smile for Goddess sake!

But even with those thoughts in mind, Dimitri still paused to look at his bloody gauntlets. Bile crawled up his throat, his stomach clenched and twisted, and guilt weighed heavy on his shoulder.

“You are going to be king,” a familiar voice stated, hand gripping Dimitri’s shoulder firmly. And despite the small size of it, it was still strong enough to pull him out of his near-vomiting experience as its owner continued, “It won’t do to have your future subjects watching you loose your dinner over an execution.”

Dimitri turned to find Edelgard by his side, a disapproving frown on her lips and look in her eyes. It was a look that reminded him of Patrica whenever Dimitri would run into her room because he had managed to rip his clothing yet _again,_ but had also ended up tracking mud across the elegant carpets.

It made his heart ache in sadness and in bittersweet nostalgia before he swallowed the grief, blinked away the tears and answered, “Yes I—you’re right. I know I’m not—I’m just not quite comfortable with...” Dimitri gestured flippantly towards the bloodied courtyard where the corpses were being carted away.

Edelgard slid her hand off his shoulder and rose an eyebrow. “No? I expected you to be used to things like this.”

Dimitri averted his gaze, the blood sticking to him more prominent on his nerves than ever as he slowly scratched at a dry crimson patch on his cheek. He smiled mirthlessly. “You’re right. A monster like me should appreciate such bloodshed...I did tonight after all.”

Edelgard inhaled sharply, paused, and the said, “That...isn’t what I meant—I...” she paused again and Dimitri turned back to her. The girl’s pastel eyes were now staring at the ground and filled with frustration—with herself, Dimitri knew. It was another familiar expression, one Edelgard wore frequently an eternity ago.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said finally, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath. When she looked back at him, El was gone. “What I said was insensitive anyhow when taking into account your—my apologies.”

Dimitri’s mirthless smile softened into a genuine albeit weak one. “It’s alright. Even if you did mean it the way it came out I...I wouldn’t fault you for saying it.”

Edelgard crossed her arms and frowned. “That self deprecation won’t do for a soon to be king either.”

Dimitri sighed and looked down. “Which is why I feel the throne would be better served by—“

“Stop that!”

Dimitri flinched at the sharpness in her voice.

“Stop selling yourself short. Stop listening to those demons,” Edelgard gripped Dimitri’s chin and he blinked in surprise as she tilted his face upwards. “Chin up, shoulders back, eyes forward. If you can’t do that now, you’ll never do it with the weight of a crown on your head and _yes_ —“ she cut off Dimitri’s protests by holding up a finger from the hand not grasping his chin. “—you will wear it one day very soon. Ghosts or not, if you keep up this habit of dwelling on your faults, you’ll not only bring yourself down but others as well.”

Dimitri furrowed his brow and shook his head. “Edelgard—“

“Now, no more of that self depreciation from you, understood?” Edelgard said firmly, eyes narrowed seriously in such a way that reminded Dimitri once more of her younger self, how she would sharply scold him every time he lead with the wrong foot during dancing or got one of the names of her dolls wrong.

And it made him smile warmly, momentarily forgetting the blood on his body and the execution, and the robed mages.

He closed his eyes and held on to those memories of her, of her warm hand leading him through a dance and now presently thumbing his chin. Those sensations washed away his sickness, if only for a moment. “Thank you, Edelgard,” he said softly, placing a hand on her wrist and squeezing softly.

There was a pause before she returned the smile. “I’m...glad I could help. Perhaps...” she paused once more, looking away and seemingly thinking hard on her next words before turning to look at him again, opening her mouth and—

The sound of somebody clearing their throat caused the two nobles to jump back and turn towards the crossed arms and sternly frowning form of Seteth. “If the two of you are finished canoodling, I would highly suggest taking a bath and heading to bed. Classes will resume tomorrow after all.”

Dimitri’s cheeks heated and he exclaimed, “We weren’t—! I-I mean...yes, of course Seteth,” before sparing the equally embarrassed Edelgard a quick bow of farewell. “Goodnight, Edelgard.”

“Goodnight,” She replied, face quickly regaining its cool detachment before turning on her heel and walking off.

As Dimitri watched her alabaster hair trail away through the night, he vaguely wondered what she was about to say.

**-o0o-**

Two days in and Rhea had assumed this brand new month couldn’t get much worse, but alas...

“Margrave Gautier sent an express messenger claiming to have lost The Lance of Ruin to his banished son, Miklan.” Seteth said grimly, looking up from the letter and handing it to Rhea, flinching when she snatched it from him and scanned the page with rage filled eyes.

“It’s them,” she hissed venomously, clutching and crinkling the paper in shaking hands. “I know it’s them! The _filthy_ monsters that—!” She paused in her tirade and sighed heavily, handing the letter back to her advisor. “Forgive me, Seteth. I—“

“I understand completely, Rhea,” Seteth said. “This has been an extremely trying time for us all.”

“Indeed,” Rhea said wearily as she turned from Seteth to the large windows before her. She exited the room through the translucent doors and stepped onto the balcony seeking fresh air.

“I don’t mean to push you,” Seteth said hesitantly as he followed slowly. “But...with a Hero’s Relic, Miklan can cause untold damage. What do you plan to do?”

Rhea thought for but a moment before stating, “We will send the Golden Deer to stop him.”

“Students!” Seteth cried. “To stop a madman with The Lance of Ruin?! Rhea that is absurd!”

“They will have Professor Byleth, she is—“

“And on that note,” Seteth said sharply. “Why does it seem you are sending her on virtually every serious mission as opposed to our highly trained knights? I understood the bandits, but a rebellion, guarding The Holy Mausoleum—a task she _failed_ , may I remind you—and now to stop a rampaging lunatic? Rhea—!”

“The knights are currently purging The Western Church throughout Faerghus,” Rhea said. “The Deer will do just fine.”

“But—!”

“Do not question my decision, Seteth,” Rhea said sharply. “I am not in the mood for argument.”

Seteth sighed heavily and muttered, “Understood, Archbishop. But before I leave, there is something else I should inform you of.”

Rhea closed her eyes and inhaled sharply, trying to steel her mind for whatever other horrible news there was.

“You have another letter from a student asking for permission to leave; Prince Dimitri has been called back by Duke Rufus and is set to leave Friday afternoon.”

Rhea let out a soft sigh of relief before opening her eyes and turning back around to face Seteth. “Because of the infiltration? Or is it something else?”

Seteth shook his head. “He didn’t say. Simply stated it was his uncle’s wishes. I have the letter here if you’d like to—“

“That won’t be necessary, Seteth,” Rhea smiled, “Thank you. Prince Dimitri has my permission to leave.”

Seteth nodded and left as Rhea turned her troubled face back over the balcony once more. However it was slightly eased at the mere sight of Byleth as shepherded her class into the Training Grounds.

**-o0o-**

Edelgard had known it wouldn’t be long before she was dragged to another pointless meeting after the infiltration’s success—and she had been, two days after the execution.

What she hadn’t counted on, was Tomas’s ire.

“Dozens of our brethren’s lives lost, and all we have to show for it is a useless Hero’s Relic without a Crest Stone!” Tomas growled angrily as he, Edelgard—in the guise of The Flame Emperor—and Arundel stood in the chilly shadows of the Sealed Forest.

“I will admit, it is a shame this weapon cannot be utilized,” Arundel said, holding the sword’s hilt and tilting it side to side appraisingly, the weapons orange glow burning in the darkness. “But I shall still count this as a win. Well done the both of you.”

“‘A win!’” Tomas cried, slamming his cane angrily against the ground. “That—that boy massacred—!”

“We’re well abreast with that fact, Tomas; you told us already,” Edelgard drawled and Tomas shot her venomous glare. In truth she was rather unbothered by the deaths of those bastards—they didn’t deserve mercy and Dimitri had sent that message to them loud and clear.

Tomas then turned to the equally nonplussed Arundel and barked, “This doesn’t concern you at all?”

Arundel sighed heavily and looked at Tomas as if he were a child. “Solon,” he said in a faux patient tone. “We’ve planned this war for _years_ —I am disappointed that you lack the basic comprehension to understand that we will take losses to achieve our goals.”

Tomas shook his head angrily. “I am well aware it’s just—I’ve never perceived—in one night, one boy, so many—!”

“Now what to do with this?” Arundel said, cutting off Tomas and holding The Sword of the Creator aloft.

“Seeing as how it is useless to us with its Crest Stone gone, perhaps we can scrap it and use its materials for more weapons,” Edelgard suggested, silently—and admittedly childishly—smirking at the bristling Tomas from beneath her mask. “You are getting closer to recreating them, correct? Perhaps having more of the required material will speed things along.”

“Unfortunately, replicating the Hero’s Relics has proven harder than anticipated,” Arundel frowned. “And the craftsmanship of them makes them difficult for reuse...” he slid his palm down the orange side, and Edelgard could have sworn she saw the thing twitch—

Which was ridiculous of course.

“No, we will keep it for now, you—“ Arundel pointed the sword at Edelgard. “Will find the Crest Stone this sword belongs to so it can be properly used. And you—“ he pointed the sword at Tomas. “—Will continue your work with Dimitri—“

“Absolutely not!” Tomas barked. “That boy is menace! A bloodthirsty lunatic that—!

“Says the man who experiments on children,” Edelgard stated bitterly.

Tomas gestured to her with a free hand. “See? Look what he’s doing! Corrupting our puppets!”

It was Edelgard’s turn to bristle at being called a puppet, as Arundel cooly said, “I have taken far too many steps to ensure he is ensnared within our agenda to dispose of him now, Tomas.”

And despite the fact that Dimitri becoming webbed into a plot of human genocide was horrible and Fódlan knew what kind of blackmail Arundel would be implementing to keep him in line—the fact that Arundel found killing him more annoyance than necessary sent unwarranted relief through her soul.

Now, she didn’t have to worry about Tomas’s threats on Dimitri’s life, and judging by the enraged and incredulous glance he shot Edelgard before returning to Arundel, he knew it too.

Perhaps now she could even...

She sighed and shook her head. No, she’d be a fool if she felt this meant she could go around making friends—it still remained a waste of time.

“That is _preposterous!_ We were just fine without Lambert’s spawn before, and we‘ll be just fine now!” Tomas exclaimed.

“I have no doubt,” Arundel said simply. “However having not one, but two royal heirs in our possession will prove incredibly helpful.”

Edelgard swallowed more indignant bile and stayed silent. The fact that Arundel had the audacity to speak of her as a mere tool in his insane human murdering crusade while she was very much present showed just how prideful he was.

_‘Soon,’_ she reminded herself. Soon she could could finally bury the knife in his back—and oh what a glorious day that would be.

“Thales—“

“That is _final,_ Solon,” Arundel said sharply.

Tomas clenched his cane tightly and bowed his head in a show of respect. “Of course, Thales.”

Arundel nodded approvingly before turning back to The Sword of the Creator. “Speaking of Hero’s Relics and The Kingdom of Faerghus, it seems the pathetic and disowned heir of Gautier is causing a ruckus.”

“And you’re asking us to stop him?” Edelgard asked in confusion.

“No. I don’t care about what he’s doing—I care about the weapon he’s doing it _with,”_ Arundel corrected and nodded towards Tomas. “He has stolen the Lance of Ruin from the Gautier Estate and I would like it in our possession. Solon, your job is to retrieve it and hopefully cool your insolent temper while you’re at it. Understood?”

Tomas’s face pinched but he didn’t argue. He simply nodded silently and muttered, “If that is all...”

Arundel nodded. “You are dismissed.”

Tomas disappeared in a flash of magenta, Arundel sighing in the quiet night. “I never expecting him of all people to get cold feet.”

Edelgard didn’t answer, and Arundel turned to her and said, “You know your mission, do not fail me.”

Edelgard nodded. “Of course,” she said before she too warped away in a beam of magenta. Though as she reappeared in the solace of her dorm room and unlocked And removed her mask with an electric whirring and pneumatic hiss, Edelgard found she was unsure how exactly she was to find the Flame Crest Stone—if it wasn’t in The Sword where else could it be?

The princess let out a tired sigh as she continued removing her armour, and placed the pieces neatly into its chest.

She would simply have to figure it out.

**-o0o-**

“‘...you dying would be inconvenient for my credibility as King, and thus, it is by my side you will remain until further notice’? I know it’s disrespectful to say but...I don’t believe I’ve ever read a more passive aggressive letter in my life,” Ingrid frowned as she squinted at the letter Rufus had sent Dimitri before turning back to the prince in question as he neatly folded his clothes.

“I say it’s foolish,” Felix scoffed as he leaned against Dimitri’s door frame. “How is The Boar getting offed by some angry bandits going to ruin his credibility?”

“It’s no secret the two don’t get along,” Sylvain said, lounging on the bed. “People will probably assume he set the whole thing up to become king permanently.”

“But paying a societal pariah to steal a Hero’s Relic, infiltrate The Monastery, and kill His Highness? that’s ridiculous!” Ingrid argued. “Who would believe that?”

“Dearest Ingrid, your forget that Rufus himself is a ridiculous man,” Sylvain said with a snort. “Remember that animal themed party he threw? With the live Duscur Bear?”

“The ballroom still has claw marks all over the walls,” Dimitri informed them with a chuckle. “And Count Rowe now refuses every invitation Uncle sends to him.”

Sylvain gestured to Dimitri and said, “See? Completely insane!”

“Must run in the family,” Felix stated offhandedly, ignoring the warning look the nearby Dedue and Ingrid gave him.

“Alright, all done,” Dimitri said, giving his suitcase a pat. Now he wouldn’t need to rush for tomorrow. “Felix are you certain—?”

“No,” Felix snapped. “If that idiot old man thinks I’m going home, he’s more air-headed than I thought.”

“Can’t you give your father some slack, Fe?” Sylvain said. “At least he cares.”

Felix scoffed but didn’t answer.

All five occupants within the room turned when they heard a dainty knock on the opened door.

“Hello, Dimitri! Sylvain, Ingrid, Dedue, Felix!” Flayn chirped, the handle of a covered picnic basket clasped in her two small hands.

“Flayn,” Dimitri said warmly as everyone but Felix greeted the girl in kind. “Hello to you as well.”

“I hear you will be leaving us for awhile.”

“Yes, tomorrow afternoon to be precise.”

“Well with that in mind, I decided to get you a little treat for the road! Ta-da!” Flayn beamed, holding up the picnic basket.

“Oh! Thank you Flayn! Did you make these yourself?” Dimitri asked, peaking under the cloth.

Flayn batted a hand. “No, no. I got you quality food from the bakery in town—croissants, cupcakes, tarts...I figured you’d rather that instead of my ‘food,” she said, holding up finger quotes.

Dimitri shook his head. “Nonsense! I would have loved to have some of your food. Do you have any leftovers I can bring as well?”

Everyone but Flayn turned to Dimitri as if he’d grown a second head while Flayn looked like she wanted to burst in glee. “Oh Goddess! You _were_ telling the truth! You _do_ like my cooking!” Her lip trembled and tears rimmed her eyes as she said, “I have a bit of fish treats left, I can pack you some!” And with that, the girl dashed out of the room with a delighted squeal.

“Dude...really?” Sylvan said. “I know Flayn’s a cute girl and all but...are you sure she’s worth it?”

“Worth it? I genuinely enjoy her food, Sylvain,” Dimitri said, picking up his suitcase with one hand and the food basket with the other, holding it out to his friends. “Do any of you want some of these treats?”

Sylvain immediately sat up took two tarts while Ingrid said, “Are you sure? It was a gift from Flayn to you, Your Highness.”

“And I wish to share it. You don’t think I’ll eat it all, do you? In fact—“ Dimitri placed his suitcase on the bed and the basket on the vanity. “How about you invite the other Blue Lions? Annette, Ashe and Mercedes like sweets, don’t they...?” Dimitri paused, a thought slowly forming in his mind as he looked down at the piles of pastries.

It was probably a foolish though but...

“I’ll be right back,” Dimitri said, taking out a handkerchief, placing a cupcake, a tart, and a chocolate chip cookie on the fabric before folding it in his hands and exiting the room. Over his shoulder he called, “Help yourself!” Before continuing on his way.

Goddess, he hoped he wasn’t about to embarrass himself.

He found himself before the door he was certain was Edelgard’s room and was poised to knock when a voice cooly stated, “What are you doing?”

Dimitri turned to come face to face with Edelgard’s scowling retainer—Hubert if he remembered correctly. “Ah! Hubert, good morning,” Dimitri said with a smile. “Do you happen to know where Edelgard is? Is she in her room or...?”

“That depends,” Hubert drawled, crossing his arms. “Are _you_ asking?”

“Erm...yes?”

“In that case I’m afraid I can’t disclose that inform—“

“She’s in the library,” a strawberry blond young man muttered glumly as he walked towards them. “She shot down my brilliant battle for dominance...again.”

“Oh, well I’m...sorry to here that,” Dimitri said. “But thank you for the information,” he gave a quick bow to the boy, ignored Hubert’s glower, and sped walked to his new destination.

As the boy had said, Edelgard was indeed in the library. However, she appeared to be in a hushed conversation with Tomas by its entrance, giving Dimitri pause.

He considered leaving and coming back when she wasn’t busy but Tomas caught his eye and smiled brightly. “Dimitri my boy! Something the matter?”

“Hello, Tomas! Not all, I just wished to...” he looked down at his napkin full of treats then back to the pristinely guarded face of Edelgard, then back to the treats, suddenly feeling foolish.

Why would Edelgard want anything from him? They’d had a moment after the execution but...technically speaking they were still supposed to be not talking with each other weren’t they? Unless that wasn’t the case but Edelgard hadn’t told him otherwise and why would she of all people want to have a strawberry tart? What if he had wrongly assumed—?

“Dimitri?” Edelgard asked, snapping him out of his musings. Looking up, Dimitri found Edelgard frowning, arms crossed over her chest and head tilted slightly to the side. “Is there something you wanted to say?”

“I—ah...” Nervously, Dimitri stiffly stepped forward and stuck his arms out to present the half wrapped parcel of pastries. “It-it isn’t the prettiest way to give it to you but—“

“Oh,” Edelgard said. Eyes wide and stunned, she stared down at the pastry covered handkerchief with a semi-parted mouth before saying, “I—you—pastries.”

“Sorry, if you don’t like it I just—“

“No, it’s not...” she looked away slightly, cheeks tinting a slight pink. “How...did you know?”

Dimitri’s shoulders slumped lightly in relief as he said, “It was a lucky guess; I saw you staring at the ice cream two months ago and figured—“

“Oh,” Edelgard repeated, head now lowered and cheeks a cherry red as she gingerly took the treats.

“B-b-but I haven’t been dwelling on it! Truly, I would’ve forgotten all about it completely had Flayn not given me this going away basket—!”

“Going away?” Tomas repeated, and the two jumped. Dimitri was ashamed to admit he forget the man was there. “Are you leaving as well, Dimitri?”

“Only for a bit,” Dimitri said. “My uncle is...worried about the Monastery being infiltrated once more and Miklan getting his hands on me. It happened with The Western Church so it could happen again with the bandits he feels.”

Tomas’s expression became oddly unreadable. “Curious,” he mused. “Why would Miklan be interested in you?”

“Well, I think it’s the reason why many of the other noble children are leaving as well; ransom money,” Dimitri said, then frowned in thought. “But if it were a personal thing...perhaps getting to Sylvain through me.”

“Hm, what a completely rational fear,” Tomas said with a smile. Edelgard looked up from her pastries and gave Tomas a sideways glance, flush gone and eyes narrowed.

“I...suppose?” Dimitri said, eyes flickering confusedly between the duo’s change in mood. “Anyway, I must be off. I hope you enjoy your gift, Edelgard. You can...” he smiled softly. “You can consider it a thank you for your words of wisdom that night.”

“Thank you,” she said, cooly, formally. A smile didn’t grace her lips and her eyes betrayed not a thing as they landed on him.

It stung more than Dimitri cared to admit. Did he do something wrong?

Awkwardly, he bowed swiftly and left the library, feeling two pairs of eyes on his back.

**-o0o-**

He was planning something, Edelgard could feel it.

That glint in his eye was unmistakable, the smile on his face the extra bounce in his step. When she had confronted him on it he had merely stated, “The fact that parents are finding Garreg Mach Monastery unsafe for their children shows that the church is loosing credibility. I am pleased.”

It was a pro to all this muddled madness certainly, but Edelgard knew he was lying, she knew it had something to do with Miklan and Dimitri; people had been leaving in fear of Miklan and another Monastery inflation since the morning after the execution, but it was only after hearing of Dimitri did Tomas’s mood heighten.

It was a smart plan if Tomas wanted him gone. Point Miklan to the right direction using his bitterness as a tool, and Tomas would otherwise not need to raise a finger and provoke Arundel’s ire. And knowing her “uncle”, Edelgard knew full well he would see Dimitri’s death as an annoying blip in his carefully crafted plans but would nevertheless move on with a casual “oh well.”

But then she could just be—for some obnoxious reason—paranoid. She found paranoia over Dimitri’s life had been a recurring thing ever since that fateful night during the end of the Great Tree Moon, a paranoia that had spurred her into quelling his guilt during the execution.

Edelgard paused in her current essay writing to glance at the treats lying innocently before her atop the handkerchief draped over the vanity wood.

It would be prudent to finish them, even if it was another reminder as to why she had (foolishly) grown attached to the prince— otherwise it’d all go to waste, wouldn’t it?

Sighing resignedly she placed her quill down and removed her glove, taking the strawberry tart and gingerly sinking her teeth into it.

Edelgard closed her eyes and smiled as the taste blessed her tastebuds. Goodness, she couldn’t remember eating something so fantastic!

It took her only a minute to finish the tart and the rest of the treats, even found herself childishly licking the cupcake icing and tart jelly off her fingers. With a satisfied sigh she fell back in her chair and smiled at the ceiling.

And then it faded. What was she doing? Enjoying sweets with everything going on now?

What was she doing worrying about Dimitri for the fifty trillionth time when she knew, she _knew_ , she had told herself several times that it didn’t matter? That he was distracting her?

Besides...Tomas wouldn’t be that foolish would he? It would be...too coincidental for him to go after the prince after he had ranted about him to Arundel, no? There was no reason she had to worry and waste precious energy she could be using to find The Crest of Flames on thinking up ways to thwart whatever plans Tomas may or may not have.

Right?

Right.

**-o0o-**

Through his closed eyelids and the thin fabric of his tent, Miklan could see a bright flash of magenta burn through. It immediately stirred him from slumber and spurred him to snatch The Lance it Ruin laying innocently beside him.

He squinted into the darkness of the forest as he pushed open the tent flaps, pointing the lance in multiple directions before barking, “Who’s there?”

The camp fire in the centre of the camp spontaneously combusted, covering the night air in a warm glow and causing Miklan to jump.

“Hello, Miklan,” an old man said politely as he casually poked at the flaming logs.

Miklan pointed his lance at the man and snapped. “Who the hell are you? How in the hell did you get passed the men standing guard?”

The man smirked, jabbing a thumb behind him. At the very edge of the flame’s reach, several bandits were sprawled on the ground, blood soaking the soil.

An old man did _that?_

Miklan swallowed nervously but attempted to keep his face remaining fierce as he stepped closer to the man and pointed his weapon at the man’s throat.

“You didn’t answer my second question,”

Miklan said.

“I don’t care to answer it,” The old man said simply.

Miklan sneered before saying, “Fine. Next question; how the hell did you find me and what do you want?”

“You’ve caused quite the ruckus in three days time, boy. Yes indeed. A few questions from scared villagers pointed me in the correct direction,” The man said. “And I would only like to help.”

Miklan scoffed and the old man ignored him, instead he said with a broader smirk, “Say, do you fancy catching a prince?”

This gave Miklan pause, he furrowed his brow. “‘Catching a prince?’ What are you on about?”

The old man stood and brushed his clothes before stepping around the fire. Miklan kept his lance trained on him all the while, but much to his annoyance, the man was unfazed.

“Here,” The man said, leaning forwards on his cane and holding out a rolled map. “Prince Dimitri is on his way back home and one of my spies within the castle has discerned the route they’ll be taking.”

Miklan moves to snatch the map but the man stepped out it reach. “Hold on, boy. I need your word that once you have what you wanted, you’ll give me...that,” The man poked the edge of The Lance of Ruin, and when he pulled back a bead of blood appeared on his fingertip.

Miklan glanced at the lance before glaring at the man. “How do I know this isn’t just some game your playing?”

The man shrugged. “I’m afraid I can’t prove my honesty. However, isn’t this a risk worth taking? Imagine what you can do with Faerghus’s Crown Prince as leverage!”

The old geezer had a point—with that royal brat in his clutches, every noble family from Fraldarius to Charon would bend backwards to fulfill any of Miklan’s whims in order to ensure the safety of their precious prince—not to mention Duke Rufus himself!

But then again, how could he defend his ultimate prize without The Lance of Ruin?

Miklan stood the lance upright and away from the man’s throat, watching its blade twitch like a scared insect. No, he wasn’t giving up this beauty any time soon—or ever.

But the old man didn’t have to know _that,_ did he?

Miklan smirked and turned back to the man, holding out his hand. “Alrighty then. Seems we got ourselves a deal.”

The man grinned and shook the hand. “Excellent.”

**-o0o-**

A day later and Dimitri found himself outside the town gates waiting for his carriage, a suitcase and a trunk at his feet, two treat baskets in his arms—one from Flayn and the other courtesy of Annette and Mercedes—while watching the long line up for Correspondence Day over his shoulder with a frown. “Everything’s all a muck in Faerghus, isn’t it, Your Highness?” Ashe asked softly, as the prince turned back to the group of Blue Lions standing by his side to see him off.

Dimitri gave the boy a weak smile. “Not forever. I know it.”

Ashe shook his head and glanced down at the dirt ground, fists clenched at his sides. “You can’t possibly know that.”

“It will. His Highness will fix everything once he takes the throne,” Dedue assured Ashe while Dimitri flinched.

Fix everything. How could he fix Faerghus when he couldn’t even fix himself?

_“Chin up, shoulders back, eyes forward. If you can’t do that now, you’ll never do it with the weight of a crown on your head.”_ Edelgard’s words rang in his head and Dimitri took in a deep breath, straightening.

“Dedue is correct, Ashe. Once I am king, I will return stability to our country,” Dimitri said and Ashe watched him for a moment, searching his face before smiling. Dimitri immediately felt a smile of his own appear.

Felix snorted and Ingrid elbowed him sharply in the ribs, causing him to hiss and glare indignantly.

“Oh, stop it, you too!” Mercedes chided. “We won’t see Dimitri and Dedue for some time; try and enjoy their company instead of fighting.”

“I never enjoy _either_ of their company.”

“Oh, why did you even come if you’re just going to be an evil grouch, Felix!” Annette scowled.

“So, Your Highness,” Sylvain said, blessedly changing the topic and draping an arm over Dimitri’s shoulder. “Tell me all about the girls Duke Rufus throws your way, yeah? In _great detail,_ may I add.”

Dimitri rolled his eyes. Or not so blessedly.

“Do not provoke His Highness.”

“Okay, sheesh! I was just making a suggestion...”

Dimitri smiled softly to himself. He silently hoped Miklan would be taken care of soon so is Uncle could let him return to the Lions class. He dug his hand into Flayn’s gift basket and took out a charred fish cheesecake slice to much on.

Dedue sighed heavily and closed his eyes. “I worry for your health each time you eat that, Your Highness. I would almost prefer you eating the weeds again.”

Six pairs of eyes rounded on him. “Eating weeds?” Mercedes asked with a baffled voice and widened eyes.

“One time!” Dimitri cried, face flushed. “I-I wanted to—nothing.”

“Apologies, Your Highness. It was not my intention to embarrass you.”

“No, no, it’s fine. It was foolish of me to do anyhow.”

“So...speaking of weeds,” Ashe said. “Do you two garden?”

“Not I, but Dedue enjoys it,” Dimitri said, nodding towards his retainer who nodded in confirmation.

“No way!” Ashe beamed. “Do you plant flowers? What’s your favourite?”

Dimitri smiled as the two began a conversation on plants and flowers, the almost-but-not-quite smile Dedue had on his face was heartwarming to say the least.

While idly looking around his surroundings, his gaze fell on a familiar sight standing by the gates.

Tomas watched him, smiled and waved. Dimitri returned the gesture but his heart stuttered at the seeming... insincerity of the librarian’s gesture—the cruel edge to his lips, the sinister gleam in his eyes—

“Your Highness?”

Dimitri blinked out of his stupor and turned back to Lions, all of whom (barring Felix) watched him with worried frowns.

“S-Sorry,” Dimitri forced a smile. “What were we talking about?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Welp, that’s it for now! See you guys tomorrow!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	14. The Prince in Distress: Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Happy Saturday! And welcome to part two!
> 
> Nothing much to say except I hope you enjoy reading this as much I enjoyed writing it!

For the two hours he’d been on the road, Dimitri couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched.

He’d glanced out the window numerous times only to be met with looming mountains and the trees vivid and green. And yet, he sat ramrod straight in his carriage seat, eyes scrutinizing every shadow, hand gripping his sword hilt so tightly the it was denting.

“Your Highness,” Dedue said from the seat in front of him, a worried frown creasing his normally stoic face. “What troubles you?”

Dimitri’s gaze flickered out the window again before he murmured, “I-I feel as if...”

“Your Highness! I believe the horses need a break,” The driver called from outside.

Dimitri jolted at the sudden noise, Crest flashing briefly and grip tightening sharply, casing the sword’s hilt to snap off its blade.

He sighed incredulously at himself before poking head out the window and telling the driver, “Alright then, stop at the nearest stream so they can drink as well.”

The driver nodded with a, “Yes, Your Highness,” as Dimitri drew his head back into the carriage. There, he found Dedue holding a new sword with its hilt pointed towards him.

“Did—did you have an extra on hand, Dedue?” Dimitri questioned in bafflement.

“I did.”

Dimitri chuckled lightly and accepted the weapon, removing his sheath and dumping out the useless blade before replacing it with the new sword. “You know me too well.”

Dedue simply shook his head. “It is my duty.”

“Don’t be so humble,” Dimitri smiled. “I have many knights, nurses, servants, and retainers but only you truly understand me.”

“I am flattered you think so highly of me,” Dedue said. “But it is unnecessary.”

Dimitri was about to argue that statement when the carriage began to slow and the sight of a bubbling stream came into view.

As the carriage came to a stop, Dedue stepped out and held the door open for him before Dimitri could insist the over extravagance of it.

Sighing, Dimitri moved to step out, but as soon as one of his feet touched the ground, Dedue shoved him back into the carriage so harshly that he tripped and crashed hard to the wooden floor.

The wood dented beneath his body and his head thrummed in pain, confusion persisting in his thoughts as Dedue shut the door with a quick, “I beg you to stay here, Your Highness!”

“What?” Dimitri spluttered, staggering to his feet, bumping his head atop the carriage roof and throwing the door open so swiftly he managed to snap it off its hinges.

But he was unconcerned with the door as he ran out of it, because the carriage’s driver was sprawled on the ground with blood pooling around him and an arrow sticking out his neck, and Dedue was battling one...two...three bandits.

Instincts took over and Dimitri unsheathed his sword, gritting his teeth and charging forward to aid Dedue.

He then stopped abruptly and ducked when he heard the war cry of bandit coming from behind. The sound of a sword slashing through the air could be heard before Dimitri spun in his crouched position and knocked the man off his feet.

The bandit cried out and fell backwards, but could not hit the ground before Dimitri stood swiftly and thrusting his sword into his chest.

His eyes flicked to the side where an archer was aiming for him, and Dimitri spun and dislodged his sword from his previous victim’s corpse, blocking the arrow with the flat of his blade before leaping through the air with a roar and plunging it into this man’s chest as well.

Dimitri clutched the hilt of his sword, Crest of Blaiddyd flashing on the back of his hand before he spun around to block another attack aimed for his back, shattering his assailant’s axe blade in the process.

The bandit woman gasped and staggered back in shock, giving Dimitri the chance to swing back up and slash deep across her chest.

Dimitri turned his attention back to Dedue as he watched her crumple to the ground with a cry of pain. He was in the midst of running to his aide once more when Dedue shoved one of his assailants aside to spin around and scream, “Your Highness!”

Dimitri briefly felt the crackling of magic raising the hairs on his skin before feeling the spell slam into his back and knock him to the ground with a pained cry and a heavy thud. His forehead slammed against the hard dirty road and caused pain to turn his thoughts to non-discernible blabber.

“Your Highness! No—!” There was the sound of another spell firing and a body slamming against a nearby tree.

“Dedue!” Dimitri cried, attempting to push himself to his feet, only for violet cords to spring from the ground and wrap around his body.

“Argh!” Dimitri grunted as he struggled against the magical restraints. The ropes only struggled harder, attempting to force the kneeling prince back to the ground.

Dimitri’s eyes darted to his friend, sucking in a sharp breath when he saw him being tied to a tree with similar magical restraints—body writhing and struggling. “Your Highness!” He grunted. “Hold on, I’m coming!”

“Dedue!” Dimitri gritted his teeth and pulled harder, calling on his Crest’s full power as he strained. The magic ropes groaned and were beginning to pop—

A boot slammed into the back of his head and smashed his face hard against the ground once more. Dimitri gasped in pain, feeling blood trickle out of his nose and hearing Dedue’s distant yell of his title once more.

“Well, well! If it isn’t everyone’s favourite pretty prince!” A vaguely familiar voice sneered as he ground his foot into Dimitri’s skull. The prince bit his tongue to keep another sound of pain from slipping from his lips.

“Good spell work, Jack!”

“Actually my name’s—“

“Whatever. Get the potion, and you! Dude with the bow—yes, you! Get the cage carriage ready.”

Dimitri’s Crest flashed, and as soon as his attacker saw it, he was rewarded with a hard kick in the skull. This time, he couldn’t stop the pained cry from escaping.

“No, no, no; none of that Crest bullshit. You’re staying right there until we can properly chain you up like that animal you are.”

Dimitri attempted to regain his bearings as his head swam and his vision blurred. And from the dazed corners of his mind, he managed to snarl, “You will do no such thing.”

This time, his assailant buried his fingers in Dimitri’s hair and tugged sharply upwards. The prince hissed in discomfort as the captor loomed over him, crude red hair spilling over his face and a snarl on his lips. “That a bet?” He spat.

Dimitri’s eyes widened in horror as recognition bloomed throughout his mind at the sight of the angry scarred face above him. “Miklan.”

Miklan grinned wickedly. “Aye what do you know? You _do_ have some sense!” Then, he rose his lance—The Lance of Ruin, Dimitri recognized—and brought its handle down hard on the prince’s forehead, stealing away his consciousness.

**-o0o-**

Correspondence Day had been considerably more hectic than the last time Edelgard had decided to participate—with good reason, what with the infiltration, Rhea going on a priest murdering spree all over Fódlan, and now Miklan causing havoc, it was only natural that people were scared.

After stilling her conflicting thoughts of going after Dimitri, Edelgard yet again skipped the line due to the power of Fódlan’s Ridiculous Hierarchy and was more excited than she cared to admit to receive a reply letter from her father.

In the evening just before dinner, she sat at her vanity with a smile of anticipation on her face before delicately prying open the seal and sliding out the scented letter. The smile broadened when she peered hopefully inside and found a pair of sugar candies.

Opting to eat them later, Edelgard opened the letter and scanned the contents, smile slowly fading as she read.

_My Dearest El,_

_I am glad you are enjoying life at the Monastery, being around children your age will do you wonders I’m sure!_

_I do wish I could hear your voice, to visit you, but alas my health permits me not. You needn’t worry about me breaking diet, I haven’t been able to eat—my throat aches something dreadful. Everyday it feels as if my heart beats a little slower and I tremble to think of leaving you alone with that monster. I must encourage you to peruse those acquaintanceships you’ve accumulated thus far, I don’t want you to be lonely._

_Speaking of which_

Edelgard stopped reading and placed the letter down with shaking hands.

“Father,” she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut and swallowing the grief stinging her throat. She was going to loose him, her only remaining family—

“Stop that,” she hissed firmly, wiping away the traitorous tears that sprung to her eyes. Chin up. Shoulders back. She wasn’t a little girl anymore.

Taking a deep breath, she continued reading.

_that boy you mentioned, Prince Dimitri. Didn’t you befriend him way back when? I remember when you returned to Enbarr you spoke only of him and how charming he was. And yet the way you write of him here is if—he is a stranger._

_It saddens me to know you’ve forgotten someone that seemed so important to you, but even more so it angers me that what that madman put you through did more than steal your siblings and lessen your time here in this world. And still he wants more from you! I’d kill him if I could,_

_El. I would._

_But let us not dwell on saddening thoughts. Again I implore you to interact with those acquaintances of yours; everyone needs friends, my dear._

_I hope to hear from you soon._

_Your loving father_

Edelgard sighed heavily. For the love of Fódlan, just what she needed, more talk of Dimitri!

However...

Edelgard read over the paragraph again, hand drifting to the ever present dagger at her hip. Now not only Dimitri, but her father insisted that she had known the prince as children before...everything.

A knock on her door jolted her hand away and caused her head to snap towards it.

“Yes?”

“Lady Edelgard,” Hubert said from the other side of the door. “Lady Rhea has called for an assembly.”

Edelgard sniffed disdainfully and re-folded her letter, placing it back into the envelope as she stood and opened the door. “Why?” She asked, as she stepped out and shut it behind her. “Has she decided to parade the deaths of more priests?”

Hubert’s lips twitched. “I am just as much in the dark as you are,” he admitted. “But it certainly isn’t out of the question.”

Edelgard was filled with a mild bit of curiosity of what the second assembly of the week would entail—though there didn’t seem to be any executing going on today. For as the duo entered the courtyard and took their place among the Black Eagles, no screaming men, executioners, or angry church knights were present.

“Do you have any idea what’s going on?” Edelgard asked Dorothea who was standing next to her.

The brunette shook her head. “But it doesn’t look like an execution again, thank goodness.”

Edelgard hummed in mild agreement before searching the faces of the other students, but the remaining Blue Lions and Golden Deer seemed just as curious, and the students participating in other academies were just the same.

It seemed they’d have to wait.

Thankfully, it wasn’t for long, as a crowd or students parted politely to let Rhea and Seteth pass, the two standing in the centre of the courtyard like the previous time.

“Good evening, students. I apologize for the short notice but I swear to be brief,” Rhea said. Quite unlike the night of The Rite of Rebirth, Rhea looked subdued. And while there was certainly some anger glittering in her eyes, it was certainly not the degree of sheer lividness that had radiated from her being then.

She turned to her advisor and nodded, Seteth stepped forward in understanding and said, “This evening, one of your departed peers has returned to us—Dedue.”

Gasps and whispers echoed throughout the courtyard and Edelgard’s blood ran cold. Dedue had left with Dimitri; why had he returned—seemingly without the prince on top of that?

Even as the questioned entered her head, Edelgard knew the answer. And it stirred a copious amount of dread within her stomach.

Seteth held up a hand for silence, and once it had been achieved, he continued. “He walked all the way back here battered and bruised, and divulged some deeply troubling news; Miklan and his bandits had ambushed their carriage in the early afternoon and have managed to capture Prince Dimitri.”

Edelgard’s eyes widened and she clenched her fists. She had been right. She’d known this could happen and she’d done nothing.

Bile tickled her throat as the courtyard erupted into horrified exclamations and angry yells.

“I know it is saddening,” Rhea said over the noise, voices quieting as she took Seteth’s place as speaker. “But I assure you in due time—“

“‘In due time?’” One of the Blue Lions—Sylvain she remembered—demanded incredulously. “Miklan is _insane!_ Who knows what he could be doing to His Highness right now?”

“Your fear is warranted,” Rhea said with a serene nod. “But our knights are currently spread thin and the Golden Deer—“

“Then send us, Lady Rhea,” Ingrid chimed in purposefully. “He is our leader after all—our prince.”

“And above all, he’s our _friend!”_ A strawberry blonde from the group cried. “We have to go rescue him!”

“This is what we’ve been trained for,” a freckled boy said. “We can properly put these skills to use now!”

“And we can bring Professor Jeritza for extra support,” A dulcet sounding flaxen blonde added.

“I’m afraid I cannot allow that,” Rhea said. “Miklan is far too powerful for you. But give the Golden Deer time to prepare and—“

“We don’t _have_ time!” Sylvain exclaimed almost hysterically. “He could be—!”

“No students are to leave the Monastery,” Seteth said firmly, eyes narrowed. “Any plans for departing back home or hanging out in town, I am afraid must be cancelled. And _certainly_ will no students be chasing headlong into dangerous battles.”

The Blue Lions went silent, but an air of frustration and fear permeated the air around them. Even Felix, the only Blue Lion who hadn’t spoken and by extension the the only one who seemed to have some odd vendetta against Dimitri, looked positively furious. Edelgard couldn’t help but feel sympathetic towards them.

“That is all,” Rhea said. “Stay within the Monastery grounds and go nowhere else. We will recuse the prince, I have upmost faith in Professor Byleth and her class—and I want you to share in that faith with us.” Rhea bowed and added, “May the Goddess be with you.”

**-o0o-**

Dimitri awoke with a grunt, a pounding dull ache in his skull and a fresh stinging on his cheek.

“There we go. Rise and shine, Your Royal Highness!”

Dimitri blinked repeatedly, wincing at the pale moonlight seeping through the bars of whatever contraption he was in, and attempting to regain his thoughts through the disorientation. And slowly, slowly, it all came back.

“M-Miklan,” Dimitri grunted, eyes narrowed as he instinctively reached for his sword, only to find the weapon gone and his movement restrained.

Craning his neck over his shoulder, Dimitri found both his wrists chained to either side of the metal barred cage he was in. With a scowl he tugged on them to test their strength before pulling at them.

His muscles quaked and burned, and slowly dread chilled his heart. He’d broken chains many times before, why...?

“You’re one of us now, Dimitri,” Miklan chuckled as he reached through the cage bars and patted his head. “Or wait hold on...what was that dumb nickname my baby brother and your gaggle of little losers called you? Ah, Dima! You’re not leaving here anytime soon, _Dima.”_

“What—?” Dimitri tugged at the chains again, desperately calling on his Crest, and finding an empty hollowness instead. “What did you do to me?”

“Slipped a little something into your mouth when you were snoozing,” Miklan grinned. “Fascinating, isn’t it? Blocks the power of any Crest for twenty-four hours—plenty of time to collect ransom!”

Dimitri bitterly laughed. “Try it. My uncle won’t give you _half_ a gold coin.”

Miklan shrugged. “Don’t know unless I try right? Besides, so what if he doesn’t wanna cooperate? I have House Fraldarius, House Rowe, House Gautier, House Galatea, House Charon...damn! That’s a lot of noble money!”

“That’s it then?” Dimitri asked. “Money? You’d risk the wrath of an entire kingdom for _money?”_

“Well there’s the added bonus of knowing Little Baby Sylvain is sobbing because his best friend is in my clutches. But other than that? _Yeah,_ pretty much!”

Miklan chuckled and leaned against the caged carriage with a smirk. “To think, so soon into my rebellion I’d be able to live large.”

As Dimitri’s eyes darted around the wood and metal cage, another slow realization came to him.

“Dedue,” he gasped, before glaring at Miklan’s smirking face. “What have you done with Dedue?!”

“Your Duscur friend? He’s dead,” Miklan responded, and Dimitri’s heart stopped long enough for his vision to blur. His eyes wide, his head shaking slightly.

No. Oh Goddess No—

“Joking, joking!” Miklan laughed. “Wow that expression is priceless! I let him go—can’t ransom you if nobody knows you’re in trouble, yeah?”

Dimitri’s shoulders slumped in relief and he sent a silent thank you to The Goddess. Dedue was safe, he was alive...

And if his friends knew what happened—his gaze locked wearily on the Lance of Ruin clenched in Miklan’s meaty fist.

“Oh yeah,” Miklan grinned, as if he could read Dimitri’s thoughts, “Anyone dumb enough to come after you...heh. Goddess show them mercy because I sure as hell won’t.”

Miklan knocked hard against the wooden part of the carriage with a laugh, causing it to rattle and Dimitri to wince at the aggravation to his headache.

“Better hope Sylvain doesn’t come looking for you then, Dima!” Miklan cackled mockingly as he turned on his heel and walked off through the dark woods. “He’ll be in for a pretty— _hey!_ The hell are you three going?! Stay here and guard him!”

“Come on boss—!”

“We talked about this, damn it! You guys are guarding him through the night. You pulled the short sticks you dumb _fucks_ , do your job and you can get a drink later!”

As Miklan continued arguing with his men, Dimitri gave the chains another futile tug, rueful smile on his face. Maybe he deserved this, maybe this was his punishment. Why should people risk their lives just for his—?

Edelgard’s disapproving frown appeared in his mind, eyes narrowed and lips pressed tightly.

The rueful smile became mildly softer. El. Dimitri wondered if she’d heard about what happened. And a selfish part if him wondered if she cared.

**-o0o-**

“Edie.”

Edelgard blinked in surprise and turned to look over her shoulder. There, illuminated by the glow of the Dining Hall, stood Dorothea. However her signature coy smirk was nowhere in sight, only a worried frown in place.

“Dorothea. Is something wrong?”

Dorothea didn’t answer, only stepped forward, heels echoing against the stone. “You’re going after him, aren’t you?”

It was Edelgard’s turn to frown. She turned to face Dorothea properly and crossed her arms. “What gave you that idea?”

Dorothea shrugged as she came closer still. “A hunch? A feeling? That look in your eyes?”

Edelgard’s frown deepened. And Dorothea laughed lightly. “Joking, I’m not psychic or good at reading people’s eyes—it’s just you’re wearing a cloak and you two are kind-of-sort-of friends? So...”

“It’s cold,” Edelgard defended with huff, turning away from Dorothea and hugging the cloak tighter to her body.

“Hmm. Oh yes, Petra who is sensitive to the cold is just fine but Princess Edelgard who is native to Fódlan has to wear a cloak in the summertime despite never wearing one since she’s been here.”

Edelgard pressed her lips tight together, reminded once more of Dorothea’s secret perceptiveness.

“And if I am going after him,” Edelgard began, giving the brunette a sideways glance as she leaned against the stone banister. “What will you do?”

“I won’t tell Rhea or Seteth, if that’s what you mean,” Dorothea said. “But I _will_ tell you this.”

Her face became serious again and she put a hand on Edelgard’s. She was surprised to find the songstress’s hand to be mildly calloused—subtle, but it was there. “Is it worth it? To chase down a madman with a Hero’s Relic? Risk getting captured too, or worse? Is _he_ worth it?”

Edelgard shared Dorothea’s gaze and thought for a moment. Dimitri didn’t deserve this, Edelgard believed that fully. This was in some parts her fault, she knew that. And for some obnoxious and odd reason she cared for him, something she’d stopped denying.

But what was missing the presence of one kind boy the feeling of regret she’d feel if she let her dream die? If the deaths of her siblings became all in vain?

“No,” Edelgard decided finally. But she didn’t want to think about their time watching _“Searching for Love”_ and only feel a deep sadness, or never here is awkwardly polite voice again.

She would regret it if she was captured and her goals were put in jeopardy. But she knew she’d regret it ten times more if she left him to die.

“But I’m going anyway.”

Dorothea smiled sadly and slid her hand off of Edelgard’s. “You have it bad, don’t you?”

Edelgard rolled her eyes, but found there wasn’t any annoyance in the action unlike when she usually did it in response to Dorothea. It was odd, really. At best Edelgard had been dismissive towards Dorothea and at worst downright rude. Yet she still came out here to check on her.

Maybe...

“Yes, Dorothea. Because I can’t care about someone without also wishing to take them to bed.”

Dorothea’s ever present coy smile returned. “I said _nothing_ about the bedroom, Edie.”

Edelgard gave her a tiny smile and left the banister, flipping on the cloak’s hood. “If anyone asks, tell them I retired early.”

With that, she descended the steps, looking for a secluded area to Warp before pausing. Turning over her shoulder once more, she found Dorothea watching her.

“Dorothea,” she said. Hesitated, then began again. “If...if I return, perhaps I can take you up on that girl’s night.”

Dorothea gave one of her brilliant smiles, eyes glittering like emeralds in the darkness. _“When_ , Edie. When.”

**-o0o-**

One option would be to tell Arundel of Tomas’s complete disregard for his commands, and another was to wait for Rhea send the Golden Deer.

Unfortunately, Edelgard did not trust The Church nor The Agarthans to save a cat from a tree let alone a prince from a bunch of bandits. So instead she was going to trust magic she’d never tried before.

Edelgard unfurled the handkerchief Dimitri had given her, shaking off the pastry crumbs before setting it down on the Sealed Forest floor.

Deep breaths, she took a step back and held her hand above the delicate cloth and sent her magic running through her veins to accumulate into her palm.

From what she researched, Tracking Spells only worked on items belonging to the tracked a little over a day after leaving their possession. Edelgard hoped she wasn’t too—

The elegantly patterned handkerchief began to glow a bright blue, hovering in the air like a miniature bedsheet on an invisible pole.

Edelgard smiled in relief. Yes! It worked—!

The handkerchief zoomed off, leaving a trail of blue sparkles in its wake.

Edelgard gasped in surprise and warped towards its rapidly retreating form, her fingers brushing the fabric just out of reach as it continued its flight.

Cursing, Edelgard was forced to run and warp after it every few feet, and while it would certainly make her journey quicker, it would eventually deplete both her magic and energy—not a good thing if she was forced to fight out of whatever camp or establishment Dimitri was being held in.

Who was this spell made for? People with mounts? Very fast mounts at that?

What a _moronic_ and troublesome thing...

In the span of her journey, Edelgard had smacked her head on a low hanging bough once, tripped on rocks, tangled vines, and tree roots more times than she could count, and mistakenly misjudged the lay of the land and fell down a ridge thrice.

After warping to the edge of a precipice and tumbling down with a shriek for the third time, she reluctantly decided that she’d be forced to expend even more magic, and fully powered her Crest. The night was filled now with not only a trail of blue and a burst of magenta every few steps, but now the lilac glow of her Crest of Seiros burning on the back of her hand.

Edelgard’s movements became noticeably more elegant, any obstacles immediately alerted to her long before they appeared and the weight of gravity loosening its grip on her body so it felt as if she were floating.

The wind and the grasping branches pulled her hood back, and Edelgard could feel the breeze running through her hair and tickling her flesh pink. Despite the circumstances, Edelgard couldn’t stop the adrenaline fuelled smile from lighting up her face. This was the second time Dimitri had unknowingly showed her a hobby she’d now need to do more often.

She didn’t know how long she’d been running and warping before the forest opened up, the trees spacing apart and the path widening into a clearing.

And then she heard voices.

Edelgard gasped lightly, warping again to try and snatch the handkerchief and feeling it brush her fingers. Gritting her teeth, she tried again, and missed again. The third time was the charm, as she paired her next warp with a lunge. She fell on top of the handkerchief and quickly rolled behind a tree, tearing her cloak and panting as quietly as possible while she squeezed the struggling fabric in her grasp with all her might.

“Hey, you heard that?” A man asked his partner.

“You probably heard the growling of my stomach,” the man grumbled bitterly.

“D’you think boss will at least bring back some food?” At third said forlornly.

Edelgard became suddenly aware of the fact that she hadn’t had any dinner at the question. She hoped she could find Dimitri and leave as soon as possible.

Of course, she’d have to first get passed—

“Probably not, we kinda pissed him off trying to sneak away. How about the random money though? Do you guys think he’ll split that with us?”

Ransom money? Meaning they had a prisoner? Meaning...Dimitri?

Edelgard listened more intently, gripping the handkerchief with one hand and properly readjusting her hood over her head with the other.

“Dunno. He’s been a mega jerk ever since getting The Lance of Ruin; I’m getting a bad feeling about him now.”

Miklan.

Edelgard slowly peeked from her place behind the tree she hid behind and there, three men stood guarding a caged carriage.

Dimitri.

She hid once more behind the tree and thought hard about her next move. Stealth would surely be her friend here—warp behind one, slit his throat, get the other two while they were distracted. Per—

The handkerchief successfully squirmed out of Edelgard’s grip and zoomed towards the wooden carriage.

Edelgard attempted and failed to catch it once before darting behind the tree and gritting her teeth in frustration. The three bandits cried out in surprise and a familiar voice let out a shocked yelp.

“Hey!” One of the bandits barked banging his fist on something—presumably the carriage. “What kind of game are you playing?!”

“What are you talking about?” Edelgard heard Dimitri say. “This?”

“Yeah!” One of the other barked. “What kinda magic are you trying to cast?”

There was a hesitation. Dimitri was silent for about five seconds before stammering out, “Ah—ah yes! I was...using a magic spell. That’s correct. It was me. Nobody else.”

Edelgard was torn between amusement and incredulousness at Dimitri’s abysmal lying skills. Still, at least he was giving her a chance to keep her stealth in tact.

“What!? Since when could you use magic?!”

“Does Boss have a magic blocking potion too?”

“Wait, wait, hold on a sec, something’s not right here.”

Now, while they were still speculating. Edelgard concentrated her energy on the line of trees behind the men and warped deep into the undergrowth to block out the magenta light.

“If he has magic why’d he call a piece of fabric here? Why not blast the cage open? I think somebody else did this; I think somebody’s here.”

“Okay...but with that logic why didn’t _they_ blow down the doors?”

“There’s probably a secret message on that thing!”

Edelgard crept forwards, hands falling to her dagger and slowly sliding it out of its sheath.

“What’s it say?”

“Huh. It’s blank.”

“I told you, it was me,” Dimitri insisted. “I-I was practicing.”

“Where’d the handkerchief come form though?”

“Yeah! I’m telling you, somebody else is here!”

Three...two...one. Edelgard fully activated her Crest and dashed forward in a blur.

“Aw are you trying to play hero, Your—?” Edelgard plunged her dagger into the back of the man’s neck and he screamed, choking on blood as she shoved him aside and slit the next man’s throat.

She was about to move on to the last one when he tackled her to the ground. Edelgard cried out as her assailant pinned her arms behind her back.

“Damn it! I knew it! I freaking knew it!” The man snarled before Edelgard rammed her shoulder into his cheek, causing him to grunt and flipped their positions.

The last thing the man saw was Edelgard’s fierce lilac eyes before she slammed the dagger down between his eyes.

The man’s angry gaze dulled and she sighed in relief, removing the dagger and wiping it clean with the edge of her now tattered cloak. It basically usless now with the clasp gone and the edges torn.

“Edelgard,” Dimitri uttered in shock from the cage. His voice seemingly caught between relief and horror.

“D-Dimitri,” Edelgard said breathlessly, gripping the bars of the cage and using them as leverage to hoist herself up on her weary legs. “Are you alright?”

“I—you...” Dimitri attempted to move forward, but was halted by the chains binding him. “You...came?” He asked instead of stating, seemingly afraid that she wasn’t here for him at all.

Edelgard nodded and gave him the tiniest of smiles. “I came. Don’t worry I—“

“Well, well!”

Edelgard spun around as a man with red hair casually strode forward with a wide grin, twirling a weapon—The Lance of Ruin she recognized—by its handle with on hand and swirling a flask in the other. “Kinda lucky my men are such squealing pigs, aye? Well, lucky for _me_ that is.” He took a long drink before tossing the flask aside and pointing the lance at Edelgard’s throat. “Probably didn’t want me to find your fairy tale knight in sexy tights, did you, Dima?”

Edelgard mentally cursed as she watched the glowing weapon twitch and glow eerily. How did he sneak up on her so easily?

Dimitri strained against the chains, from behind her, grunting and cursing as he struggled to no avail. Clearly, his Crest had been impaired.

“So, gonna to tell me your name, gorgeous?” Miklan questioned with a faux innocent smile and a tilt of his head. Edelgard glared right back, dagger tightly clasped in her hand. If she was quick enough, she could—

“Awww, she’s shy!” Another man called out, and Edelgard’s eyes darted to the left were snickering bandits began to pour out of the woods. Then to the right as even more stepped forward.

Dread and panic were rapidly mounting on her soul. She couldn’t fight them all with simply a dagger, and certainly not after she’d used up so much energy trying to get here.

“You know, darling,” Miklan said, regaining Edelgard’s attention, but from the corner of her eyes she could see the bandits closing in. “In Faerghus, when somebody asks your name, you _answer.”_ He punctuated the word by stabbing forward with the lance, spurring Edelgard to jump backwards and hit the carriage with her back.

“Run!” Dimitri exclaimed, still tugging desperately at the chains. “Get out of here, I’m not worth it!”

“But where’s she ‘sposed to run, Dima?” Miklan mocked. “We got her surrounded!”

Dimitri’s eyes darted around the closing circle of bandits and they widened slowly with each one they landed on. She was truly outnumbered. Edelgard could teleport away, hide deep in the woods. Then she could watch from the shadows and wait for another opportunity to save Dimitri.

Nodding slowly, she locked eyes with Dimitri and poured as much honesty into her gaze as possible as she sheathed her dagger and said, “I _will_ come back for you, Dimitri.”

She didn’t wait for a response from either him nor Miklan before she thought of a tree she had seem on her way here, warped—

And staggered to her knees five feet away from where she had just been standing, right in arms reach of a dozen bandits.

_‘Oh no...’_

She was immediately hit with a blast or Miasma and she skidded against the ground with a cry of pain.

“Edelgard!” Dimitri yelled as hands gripped her arms and forced her to stand. She struggled desperately, but even that pathetic display of magic had stolen her final drops of energy, and she soon became a panting limp form in the arms of laughing men.

“Cute!” Miklan cackled. “A’ for effort...Edelgard. Yeah? That’s her name, right Dima?”

“Bastard!” Dimitri roared, tugging the chains sharply and causing the carriage to rattle, eyes wild and livid, lips snarled. “If you harm her in the _slightest_ I will tear into your flesh and turn you inside out with my bare hands!”

This dark promise was met with more mocking laughter from the bandits before one asked, “What do we do with her, Boss?”

“She killed three of our men, I say we kill her!” One of the men holding Edelgard’s arm barked.

“Nah,” Miklan said, stepping towards her and tilting her chin up with The Lance of Ruin’s tip. “She’s too pretty to just kill.” Edelgard gritted her teeth as she watched his leering eyes appraise her face before lowering to the rest of her body, lingering on her legs. “ _Way_ too pretty. We’ll feel her up and turn her to used goods first, _then_ we kill her. That sound fun, boys?”

The bandits roared and whistled in uproarious excitement on an equivalent level to the blood boiling rage that had erupted in Edelgard’s chest.

_“I’ll kill you!”_ Dimitri bellowed, voice drenched with pure hatred. “Keep your _filthy_ hands away from her!”

“Hush, Dima. Just sit there and enjoy the—!” Edelgard spat viciously into Miklan’s eye before he could finish and effectively silencing the excited roars of the rest of the bandits.

“ARGH!” The bandit leader cried out and wiped angrily at his eye before backhanding Edelgard with enough force to snap her head to the right and leave her ear ringing.

“Stop it! Stop hurting her!” Dimitri screamed, his anger now being laced with fear and desperation.

Miklan ignored him, grabbing Edelgard’s face and forcing it towards him again. “Forget it.” He spat. “Kill her now and make it slow.”

“Aw, but Boss—“

“Shut up!” Miklan spat as he turned his angry glare to the protesting bandit. _“Kill_ her...” he turned to Dimitri, a cruel smirk peeking through his anger, “And _you_ get front row seats.”

“No, don’t!” Dimitri pleaded, panic finally overriding his rage as the bandits save for the ones holding Edelgard got their weapons out. “Miklan, I beg of you _please!”_

Dimitri’s grief seemed to only increase Miklan’s mood as Edelgard took in a deep breath and narrowed her eyes, mentally grasping for something deep within her blood.

“I told you before, didn’t I, Dima?” Miklan said with a dark chuckle as the familiar sharp pain in her chest caused Edelgard to shudder. Still, she persevered, she kept grasping.

She wasn’t dying here.

“Anyone dumb enough to come after you...”

She was almost there, she could feel the heat building in time with the pain, sweat trickling down her brow, eyes now scrunched shut in concentration...

“Would get no mercy from—“

Edelgard’s eyes snapped open and her entire body glowed, lighting up the clearing in a vivid crimson light. The bandits all turned to her with exclamations of shock, while the two holding her wisely let her go and quickly stepped back.

“What are you idiots doing?!” Miklan yelled as they backed away from Edelgard, the ground beneath her charring and catching aflame, glowing hair swaying in the eldritch current of her power.

The back of her hand burned a vivid red in the symbol of Flames as Miklan yelled, “Get her! What? Are you afraid of little glowing girl?!”

Edelgard had to concentrate on her breathing, quivering as agony seeped through every vein, an agony that increased as she stepped away from the stunned Dimitri and Miklan and towards the cowering bandits.

She swung her arm with a war cry, sending out a thick rope of flame that immediately incinerated all it came in contact with. The mere action brought her to her knees and blurred her vision, but determination had her staggering back up, turning a burning gaze towards a spluttering Miklan.

“What...? Who are you?!” Miklan cried, stepping backwards as Edelgard stumbled towards him.

“Edelgard von Hresvelg,” she answered, holding out a hand and letting a ball of flame grow within in it, narrowing her eyes before adding, _“And_ your executor.”

The wide eyed Miklan watched as she tossed the large fire ball with a roar. At the last minute, he held up the flat side of The Lance of Ruin to shield himself as he was thrown into the woods with a scream.

Edelgard let her hand drop before she forced herself towards Dimitri’s cage. Fighting unconsciousness, she gripped the bars and watched them melt beneath her grip before shakily sending a tiny blast from her finger to sever the chains.

“Edelgard...” Dimitri whispered, eyes filled with shock and awe. As he crawled forward out of the cage, The Crest of Flames symbol faded from her backhand, and the little bit of energy it granted her along with it.

As her knees buckled and fell towards the ground, she felt him call her name stop her decent.

**-o0o-**

Goddess.

Dimitri couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed.

He was still in a mild daze as he carried Edelgard in his arms and away from the lightly burning clearing. He didn’t know which way he was going, he just knew he needed to get somewhere safe—Edelgard was at risk in her current state. That being said he had skipped the nearby village Miklan and his men had gone drinking to—he didn’t want to risk bumping into any of his bandits.

With the exception of Dimitri’s boots crushing fallen acorns and leaves, the occasional hooting of owls, and Edelgard’s delicate breathing, all was silent. And in the silence, Dimitri’s mind wandered back to that extraordinary sight.

He had always known Edelgard to be formidable; she was fantastic with an axe and certainly no slouch with a dagger—but alas, he had clearly underestimated her.

The way her skin, hair and eyes glowed...as if she were housing the very essence of the sun beneath her flesh, the way her hair swayed as if it was submerged in water, the way she unleashed such terrifying power.

It was terrifying, baffling, _mesmerizing_...the way Edelgard had looked immediately reminded Dimitri of the tales of The Goddess’s power, of her wrath, of The Goddess herself. Blasphemy perhaps it was, he couldn’t quite help the comparison.

Dimitri peered down at her now. Even without his Crest, Edelgard was light. She was a petite girl, her long lashes castes shadows over her rosy cheeks and her petal coloured lips were slightly parted. Before, she had appeared to be The Goddess, but now, Edelgard looked very much like a delicate doll.

The prince chuckled to himself. That was perhaps what Miklan had seen at first glance, and it had certainly proved his downfall.

Dimitri entered another clearing and checked the surroundings with a nod. This would do for now.

Gently resting Edelgard against a tree and using her ruined cloak as a makeshift blanket for her, Dimitri got to work on starting a fire. He snapped branches from trees and took bundles of leaves, ensuring the unconscious Edelgard was in his sights all the while.

When he had accumulated a decent pile, he prayed all his lessons with Professor Jeritza wouldn’t be for naught, before calling for a flame.

Dimitri beamed when a tiny little flame flickered and spluttered in his cupped palms before lowering it to the bundle and watching it catch on fire.

Finished for now, Dimitri leaned against the thick tree Edelgard was and watched her worriedly. He didn’t have any weapons, Miklan had took his sword and Dimitri hadn’t the insight at the time to take one from the dead bandits. If anyone came, he would have to rely on his fists—fists that no longer bore the power of his Crest.

Dimitri clenched and unclenched his hands, sighing softly. His Crest had always annoyed him but now that it was gone...

“It will come back; don’t worry.”

Dimitri tensed and gasped before he turned to find Edelgard awake and looking at him.

“Edelgard,” he breathed in relief, smiling. “I’m so glad you’re alright. How do you feel?”

Edelgard chuckled weakly and closed her eyes again. “Horrible. But there’s nothing to be done.”

Dimitri shook his head. “Nonsense, tell me what ails you and I will try and help.”

Edelgard opened her eyes and once more and stared at him intently before smiling sadly and shaking her head. “Again, there’s nothing to be done about it.”

Seeing as how Dimitri had no water, food, and couldn’t cast a Healing spell to save his life (a huge problem), he let the topic drop, well aware he had nothing truly to offer her.

Instead he tentatively asked, “That...that power back there; what was it?”

Edelgard’s smile faded and she looked away from him.

Mentally kicking himself, Dimitri quickly said, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to pry I was just—“

“The Crest of Flames.”

The words died on Dimitri’s tongue and he regarded Edelgard with wide eyes. He had never heard of such a Crest, on top of which, didn’t Edelgard already have The Crest of Seiros? Did that mean...?

“Two Crests,” Dimitri said. “You...you have two Crests?”

Edelgard nodded silently.

“I didn’t know that was possible!”

“It isn’t. At least...not naturally.”

Dimitri furrowed his brow. “Edelgard?”

Edelgard swallowed thickly, staring into the flames before whispering. “I...” she then turned to Dimitri, “I never told you why me and my siblings went missing, have I?”

**-o0o-**

Miklan crawled to his feet, cursing and spitting algae and mud. He may have been saved by his trusty lance, but he had also been blasted till next century into a stupid stream.

When he found his way back to the clearing, he growled. Nothing but ashes, melted corpses, and a ruined and empty cage carriage remained.

That Goddess damn _bitch._

Edelgard von Hresvelg.

He paused at the name, furrowing his brow as recognition slowly manifested in his head.

Hresvelg? Wasn’t that the royal family of Adrestia?

He’d lost a prince _and_ a princess?

Miklan clenched his lance and it burned brightly. Not for long they wouldn’t be lost...not for long. And when he found them...

Miklan smirked and chuckled into the night, carelessly crushing a dead man’s skull.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: If any of you were wondering why Edelgard was able to pull a Deus ex Machina despite her being out of energy—don’t worry! Next chapter will explain it all! 
> 
> Speaking of Deus ex Machinas, NO I will NOT have Edelgard use her Crest to immediately get out of tricky situations all the time—that would be both lazy and boring and I can’t count the amount of fanfics and novels alike on two hands that I’ve stopped being invested in because of this very reason. 
> 
> Thirdly, yes. I KNOW the Crest of Flames is purple in the game but seeing fire vein represented in purple is extremely aesthetically unpleasant for me to look at, so I am exercising my creative freedom :3
> 
> Finally, the Black Eagles and Blue Lions will be making an appearance next chapter as well!
> 
> Anyway. See ya tomorrow!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	15. The Prince in Distress: Part III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [EDIT JUNE 10 2020–chapter revised]
> 
> AN: SO. 
> 
> Unlike the other two chapters, this one wasn’t written out beforehand, hence the really late posting and hence, hence why I’m splitting this chapter in half—I wrote one thousand words yesterday before going to sleep and the other couple thousand today.
> 
> So this is part 3 part 4 will be on Friday. I’m sorry, but it’s either that or a shitty rushed climax and you guys deserve the best!
> 
> I also apologize for any typos and the lack of italics—that will be rectified again on Friday.

"Edelgard," Dimitri said, placing a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder. "You needn't reveal anything to me."

"I know," Edelgard said, and maybe it was because she was still reeling from letting loose her power but..."I want to. Perhaps if I tell someone else about this...it won't haunt me as much."

"If...and only if you're sure," Dimitri said with a worried frown. "Are you certain—"

"For the love of— _yes_ , Dimitri!" Edelgard grumbled and Dimitri shrunk back with a mumbled, "Sorry."

Edelgard sighed and turned back to the flames, hugging her knees to her chest and laying her chin on it. "I didn't know what was going on at first," Edelgard said quietly. "One moment I was drinking tea with my uncle like I always did and the next..."

Edelgard closed her eyes, remembering the cold iron bed and artificial lights, the eldritch liquid and—

Dimitri slid his hand from her shoulder and placed atop her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

Swallowing, she continued. "I was in a room, trapped to a bed of iron, being stabbed with needles and filled with painful liquid that—that numbed my muscles and dulled my mind."

Dimitri let out a soft gasp of sympathy as Edelgard let out a shuddering breath. "It felt like an eternity before me and my siblings were given any explanation. _'It's for the good of Adrestia!'_ Uncle said. _'You'll be powerful enough to lead the empire into greatness, isn't that wonderful?'"_ Edelgard's voice morphed into a mocking venomous sneer near the end.

She scoffed and removed her hands from her knees, glaring at the sky. "But it wasn't wonderful; not one bit of it was. We were trapped underground and I never saw the sky for goodness knows how long, I was filled with painful chemicals of all kind, cut in nearly every place imaginable, I and my siblings were dragged to that horrible room every night, but we were supposed to be _happy_ because it would supposedly make us powerful."

Still looking up, Edelgard pried off one of her gloves and showed the bare hand to Dimitri, breath hitching as she felt the cold metal of his gauntlets cup the horrible scarred appendage.

"You see, only three of us had inherited The Crest of Seiros and they were minor versions on top of that. Tha— _he_ wanted to give us a second Crest, a powerful Crest so that we'd be 'better rulers.' This is the product of that."

"Oh Edelgard," Dimitri murmured, voice cracking.

"They're all over my body—everywhere. I can't change or take a bath, can't look myself in the mirror without being reminded..."

Edelgard paused, looking down from the winking stars and to the side were Dimitri watched her. His face was a picture of sheer horror, bottom lip trembling, eyes larger than she'd ever seen on him, and fists clenched her hand tightly. "Y-your uncle did this?" He whispered. "You mean—?"

Edelgard nodded stiffly. "Arundel," she said darkly.

 _"What?_ But—I don't—he's your uncle!" Dimitri cried, shaking his head in utter disbelief. "He's your own flesh and blood! How could he do that to his own niece?!"

Edelgard decided to leave out the fact that "Arundel" was actually a plant of the Agarthans and said, "Power corrupts even family, Dimitri. I'm sure you could use your own uncle as proof?"

"Uncle Rufus never tortured me and insisted I was doing good for Faerghus by suffering!" Dimitri barked, his eyes burning with an indignant ferocity before they dimmed and he bowed his head. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"It's alright," Edelgard said, smiling a tiny bit. "It's rather nice hearing you care so."

"Of course, Edelgard," Dimitri said earnestly, placing her bare hand over his heart and looking at her with blue eyes glittering with honesty. "I will always care for you. Always."

Edelgard turned away, his sheer honesty making her feel guilty with all the things she couldn't tell him. Slowly, she pulled her hand out of his grasp.

"May I ask..." Dimitri said. "Is that why—your hair..."

Edelgard ran her fingers threw her snowy locks and turned back to him with a nod. "Yes. When they managed to succeed in placing the Crest of Flames within me, my hair turned white. My siblings never got this far. Some died on the operating table, others went mad, and some still became horrible Demonic Beasts."

She turned back around to hide the tears that were beginning to form. "And I watched it happen. Every last one of them. I watched them beg for mercy as they were cut and stabbed, I watched them become monsters, I watched the life fade from their eyes or become murky with insanity—and I did nothing."

All of their deaths played through her mind in rapid fire and all the helplessness and fear she felt as a little girl came barreling back in the form of rage. With an enraged yell, she slammed the dirt with her fist and screamed, "The _Goddess_ did nothing!"

Her body trembled, sobs threatening to crawl from her throat but she forced it down. She wouldn't cry, not here, not now, not ever. "But I survived anyway!" Edelgard yelled at the sky, at the blasted Goddess. "She abandoned me and left me to die and here I stand defying her very wishes; _Edelgard von Hresvelg!"_

After the echoes of her tirade faded, all was silent but for the crackling fire, Edelgard's angry heavy breathing and the nighttime breeze—and then a gasp of surprise that left her lips as Dimitri draped his body over her back and hugged her from behind.

"Edelgard..." he murmured in her ear. He squeezed her tighter as he hissed, "I'll kill him for what he's done to you. I swear it on my blood."

Edelgard looked over her shoulder at him, the firm and determined fire in his eyes, and the serious press of his lips. His solid chest pressed flush against her and his arms holding her tight and secure.

"Dim—," her voice broke and she swallowed the burning in her throat, surprised by the tears staining her cheeks. She hadn't noticed them until Dimitri's fierce gaze softened and he wiped them gently away with his gauntleted thumb.

"It's alright," Dimitri said, resting his cheek atop her head. "It's alright."

Edelgard didn't trust herself to speak, fearing a single syllable would shatter the already fractured barrier holding back her sobs. Her resolve cracked further when she turned away from Dimitri and looked down at her shaking scarred hand.

She moved to put her glove back on until Dimitri touched her bare wrist, halting her movements.

"You needn't cover them," He told her gently. "Your scars, I mean."

"I do," Edelgard corrected, rapidly blinking away another tear trying to escape. "It—" she swallowed once more and shook her head. He wouldn't understand, could never understand how sick and vulnerable she felt just by looking at them.

"I won't force you but...perhaps I can show you them in another light." Letting go and sitting back on his ankles, he held out his hands. "Here, can you help me with these?" Edelgard frowned confusedly before turning and accepting Dimitri's request. She easily found the buckles and latches that held his gauntlets in place before removing one then the other.

As soon as his hands were free from the metal encasing, he moved to her second gloved hand. "May I?"

Edelgard nodded and allowed him to gently slide it off and cup her hands tightly in his lager calloused ones. "I have scars too, but I don't see them as a reminder of what I lost—I see them as a reminder of what I must fight for. What I live for. And now..." Dimitri chuckled lightly to himself. "And now you've shown me they are also marks of rebellion."

Edelgard blinked slowly in thought, staring at their entwined, scarred, hands. "Marks of rebellion," she repeated, tiny smile on her face as she looked up at Dimitri's once more. "I think I appreciate that interpretation."

"As do I," Dimitri agreed, squeezing their entwined fingers and clasped hands tighter. "Our enemies, our tormentors—perhaps even The Goddess herself sought to kill us and yet—"

"—we survived anyway," Edelgard finished, returning the tight squeeze, finding odd solace as her thin scars rubbed against Dimitri's thick burns.

With one last squeeze, Dimitri gently let go and replaced his gauntlets, and after some hesitation, Edelgard put her gloves back onto her own hands.

"I...I thank you," Edelgard said, smiling at him. "Thank you for listening."

"Of course, Edelgard," Dimitri replied, returning the smile and letting silence reign once more.

The princess sighed deeply, wiping away her tears and feeling that omnipresent weight on her shoulders ease just a bit. Maybe...maybe Dimitri would _want_ to voluntarily join her after—

She shook her head and rid herself of those foolish thoughts before she turned back to the crackling fire.

And in those flames Edelgard, was reminded of their fresh encounter with the bandits—reminded that Miklan had blocked her attack with The Lance of Ruin, that Miklan was more than likely out there and thirsty for vengeance.

"We need to keep moving. The closer we get to Garreg Mach the less distance I'll need to warp us once my magic returns." Edelgard said suddenly, standing up sharply. A mistake, for the blood rushed to her head and caused her to sway.

"Be careful," Dimitri said gently, standing too and gripping her shoulders to help right her. "You're still regaining your strength. Here, I'll carry you—"

"No," Edelgard said. "Your Crest hasn't resurfaced yet—carrying me gives you cargo and slows us down; Miklan could catch us."

Dimitri furrowed his brow. "Miklan? You hit him with your flame, did you not?"

"He blocked," Edelgard said darkly. "The material the Hero's Relics are made from are incredibly powerful—I have no doubt he survived."

Dimitri clenched his fists at his sides and growled. "Let him come. I'll shatter every bone in his body for even _thinking_ of harming you."

"He has a Hero's Relic, Dimitri. You have no weapons and I only have a dagger. Our best chance is to get out of his reach."

Dimitri unclenched his fists and sighed heavily, nodding reluctantly as he kicked dirt over the fire and turned back to her with a frown. "All right. But, please don't strain yourself. I nearly lost you tonight and I—"

"I am not going to die," Edelgard said confidently. "Not until I've succeeded in my goals."

Dimitri tilted his head curiously to the side. "Goals?"

Edelgard patted Dimitri's cheek. "You've heard enough about my personal life for now, Your Highness."

Dimitri flinched, guilt flashing in his eyes. "Oh Goddess I—"

"I'm teasing, Dimitri," Edelgard said with a smile as she began walking. "You'll have to pay close attention to the inflections of my voice and the particular words I use if we want this friendship to work."

"Oh! Of course I—wait pardon?" Dimitri spluttered, speed walking to where Edelgard already was. "Did—what did you say?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you say...friendship?"

"I'm not sure, did I?"

"Edelgard, please don't jest!" Dimitri cried. "I-I really need to—"

"Yes, Dimitri," Edelgard said in a false exasperated tone. "I said friendship. Now, be a good friend and pay attention to when I'm teasing, yes?"

Dimitri gasped, completely silent for about five seconds before his face lit up with unspeakable joy. "Edelgard..."

Friends.

Maybe Dimitri would find out that she was letting The Agarthans use him, maybe he'd figure her goals for Fódlan were too destructive, maybe they'd be enemies one day soon.

But for now, oddly, that title felt...right.

That night, when she fell asleep under Dimitri's watchful guard, she had no nightmares for the first time in years.

**-o0o-**

The empty seat at the front of the Black Eagles classroom was giving Dorothea the very definition of anxiety.

She'd known Edelgard had managed to leave undetected when dinner came and went with no angry Seteth or yelling knights, but Dorothea had hoped she'd have been back by morning.

It was super naive, sure but...

"Dorothea," Ferdinand said as he leaned towards her from his desk with a frown. "Have you seen Edelgard? It isn't like her to be late."

"I haven't seen her since dinner last night," Dorothea stated shortly as she kept her gaze stubbornly forwards.

"Oh. Well...did she tell if she was going somewhere—"

"It's _none_ of your business, Ferdinand!" Dorothea snapped, giving the nobleman a glare and causing him to flinch. "What do you want from her anyway?"

"Nothing!" Ferdinand cried defensively. "I'm just..." he glanced at Edelgard's empty desk and looked down at his own desk glumly. "I have an incredibly bad feeling."

Dorothea checked his expression and found it startlingly honest. She considered offering an apology when Manuela finally arrived.

"Alright my lovelies!" She chirped as she plopped into her seat. "Today I'm going to show you something real spicy; support spells! These fantastic—!"

Manuela paused abruptly when she glanced at Edelgard's empty desk and frowned. "Odd. Edelgard is absent."

Dorothea clenched her fists atop her lap and bit her bottom lip as a fresh wave of anxiety washed over her. A prominent thought in her mind telling her Edie could be _permanently_ absent.

"Say, Hubert. Do you know where Edelgard went?" Manuela asked curiously and the brooding mage frowned and shook his head.

"She isn't in any of her usually spots and her bedroom is empty—"

"Hubert!" Ferdinand cried. "What are you _doing_ entering a girl's room?"

Hubert shot Ferdinand and irritated glare before turning back to Manuela. "In a nutshell, I am not sure, Professor."

"Hmm," Manuela said with a frown before locking eyes with Dorothea. She quickly averted her gaze.

"Dorothea," Manuela said slowly and the brunette silently cursed. "Do you know where Edelgard went?"

 _"No,"_ was on the tip of Dorothea's tongue but Goddess she was worried! Maybe Manuela could help? Maybe she could go after her and save her if she was in danger? She'd told Edie she wouldn't tell Seteth or Rhea but Manuela was neither—Manuela would understand, right?

"She..." Dorothea began slowly, acutely aware of every Black Eagles staring curiously at her. Oh, she hoped Edelgard would forgive her... "She went after Dimitri and Miklan."

Manuela choked on the booze she'd been drinking and gasps filled the classroom.

"What?! But that's—! Why would—!?" Hubert looked absolutely baffled.

"Damn, never knew Edelgard was the hero type," Caspar said with a furrowed brow while Ferdinand cried, "That's pure insanity! Miklan has a Hero's Relic!"

"Not to mention he took down somebody with a Crest of Blaiddyd," Lindhart added with a frown. "A minor version, sure, but it's still one of the most powerful Crests recorded."

"And she has taking no backup," Petra said worriedly. "How will she be fighting him and winning?"

"She _won't_ win!" Bernadetta wailed. "The big bad bandit's going to kill her!"

Manuela rubbed her temples as panicked exclamations filled the classroom before she held up a hand. "Alright! Alright! Enough."

"Please tell me we're not going to wait around, Manuela," Dorothea begged.

Manuela sighed and swirled her flask, closing her eyes. "I need...I need to think—"

"Or, you can join our field trip." A deep voice stated and all eyes turned to the open doorway where the incredibly unnerving (but admittedly handsome) Professor Jeritza stood cross-armed before the doorway.

"Field trip?" Hubert questioned with a narrowed eye.

"Or...rescue mission. Whatever you want to call it," Jeritza shrugged. "The Blue Lions were restless and I decided I was going to surprise them with an under wraps mission."

"You...planned a mission for them despite the outdoors ban?" Manuela asked.

"It was either that or wait for them to inevitably try leaving themselves—and fail miserably in the process," Jeritza continued, eyes scanning the faces of the Black Eagles in a way that made Dorothea uneasy. "And I feel it will be the same for your class."

Dorothea turned hopefully to Manuela who's arms were crossed. "You do know that if Lady Rhea or Seteth here about this—"

"I don't quite care," Jeritza said in a bored tone. "Are you coming, or not? Standing here is getting dull."

Manuela took a drink from her flask and sighed heavily. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" She muttered, before turning to the class. "Alright, kids. Who wants to save a pair of royalty while simultaneously defying direct orders?"

**-o0o-**

Dimitri's feet ached and he hadn't slept at all that night, still he refused to complain; Edelgard needed her rest for both of their sakes. And so, during the night he stood on unblinking guard and when the sun finally rose he went searching for breakfast for her.

"You need to rest as well," Edelgard told him during their long trek through a ravine after he had tripped for the fifth time over his own feet.

"If I rest, you won't be able to," Dimitri said through a yawn. "I'm fine."

"You are _not._ What did I tell you about proper sleep?"

"And what did you tell me about how we needed to warp back to Garreg Mach as soon as possible?" Dimitri shot back.

Edelgard frowned and looked away.

"I'm sorry," Dimitri sighed. "I don't want to argue, Edelgard. But I just want this nightmare to be over—I want you to be safe."

"I want the same for you," she said quietly. "But I can't protect you because that irritable Crest of Flames zapped my magic completely, and you can't protect yourself because you're sleep deprived. You need rest, Dimitri."

Dimitri sighed again under Edelgard's firm glare and he glumly stated, "Fine. I'll take a nap on our next break."

Edelgard gave a pleased nod before falling silent. Dimitri truly didn't want to sleep but if it put his friend at ease...

His friend.

Dimitri smiled softly to himself. He felt delightful sparks of joy every time he thought of their relationship milestone.

Now that they were friends and he even knew a horrible secret of hers...did that mean he could have normal friendly conversations without the formalities?

"Say...Edelgard." The princess glanced at him to show she had her attention before Dimitri continued with, "Do you have a favourite season?"

Edelgard blinked twice in surprise as if that was the last thing she had expected to asked. She quickly regained her composure however, and answered with, "Autumn."

"I see. Any particular reason?" Dimitri asked, absolutely delighted at the stark contrast between this conversation and the one they had during the first weekend at Garreg Mach Monastery.

"The colours," Edelgard said wistfully, looking up at the leaves and running her hands against the ones hanging low enough. "In the and spring summer, it's only green. But in the fall there's orange, red, yellow—and the carpet they leave behind on the forest paths are always stunning."

She turned back to Dimitri and added, "I also like the temperature; not too cold, not too warm, just right. What about you?"

"Well I love all the seasons," Dimitri mused. "But if I had to choose—"

_"So!"_

Both nobles froze as a familiar voice echoed throughout the ravine.

_'No, no, no, no, no...'_

"You kill my men, take away my prize, and send me flying to soaks-vile and think you can get away with it, Edelgard von Hresvelg!" The duo turned to find Miklan high above them at the top of the ravine, sitting upon a horse with his lance pointing upwards towards the morning sun.

"Miklan," Dimitri snarled coldly, pushing Edelgard behind him and glancing at his backhand as he attempted to call for his Crest. The symbol of Blaiddyd flickered then died.

He was still powerless.

"I don't _think_ anything," Edelgard responded stepping around Dimitri to glare up at Miklan. "I _did_ kill your men, I _did_ save Dimitri, I _did_ hit you with my magic and I _did_ get away with it."

Miklan laughed hysterically, throwing his head back and heaving for breath. The sound was absolutely maniacal and it sent chills erupting through Dimitri's entire system.

"Okay, okay!" Miklan said after he regained his breath. His crazed eyes and maniacal grin locked on Edelgard. Dimitri winced and tried to step in front of her again but she simply moved in step with him. "I'll give you the first three, but the last one?" Miklan twirled his lance and pointed it at Edelgard, face all of a sudden morphing from insanity to fury. "I'm afraid _not."_

He kicked his horse into a gallop down the ridge at the same moment Dimitri and Edelgard broke into a run. Unsurprisingly, Edelgard was ahead of him, being refreshed in the energy department unlike Dimitri. Still, having her in front meant that she was father out of Miklan's range and Dimitri could focus on his Crest.

He didn't know if it was his imagination, but the more he called on it, the more prominent the glow.

"Come on," Dimitri muttered, trying for a sixth time. Blaiddyd flashed for five seconds before dimming. "Come on!" He said through gritted teeth as he tried once more. "Please, please, _please..."_

The hooves of Miklan's horse was sounding closer and closer, the forest path vibrating with the weight of them striking the ground.

"I changed my mind about you too, Dima!" Miklan snarled as Dimitri tried calling for his Crest an eighth time. "I'm not holding you for ransom, I'm going to lop your head off and send it to Sylvain in the mail! Then I'll take that little girlfriend of yours and—!"

Edelgard grabbed Dimitri's shirt and yanked him to the left. Dimitri cried out in surprise and he crashed into her as they fell through the trees and off the path.

The land they fell atop was inclined, and the two tumbled down with mirrored grunts of discomfort as rocks and stabbed and clawed at them.

Dimitri heard Edelgard let out a surprised shriek that was swiftly cut off, and he didn't know why until he too crashed into the river with a cry at its sudden chill.

For a moment, Dimitri was submerged beneath the murky liquid. But quickly, he regained his bearings and swam swiftly to the surface, shaking his head to move his soaking bangs from his face.

Spitting out water and treading it while his eyes darted around, he called out a desperate, "Edelgard!"

His heartbeat thundered rapidly in his chest as he looked around frantically while fighting the river's current.

Where was she? Why hadn't she— _there!_

A few feet away from him, Edelgard's head popped out of the water, hair clinging to her face and having the appearance of a thick white spider web, her eyes wide and panicked as she slapped the water in a desperate attempt to say afloat.

"Edelgard!" Dimitri cried again, front crawling towards her frantically bobbing form. "I'm coming!"

When Dimitri was near enough, Edelgard desperately threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and spluttering water.

"D-Dimitri—"

"I've got you," Dimitri grunted, swimming with one arm towards shore. He attempt for the ninth time to power his Crest and found it once again unsuccessful. Cursing, he struggled against the water as it greedily grabbed at his clothes and reached for a low hanging branch.

He puffed out heavy exerted breaths, straining and kicking with all his might, but with Edelgard's weight, his lack of sleep, and the stubborn non-functionality of The Crest of Blaiddyd—

A firm hand gripped Dimitri's wrist so tightly he felt his bones would have snapped had it not been for the gauntlets.

"Need help, Dima?" Miklan grinned wickedly as Dimitri's eyes widened in horror and the crazed red head rose his twitching lance. "Don't worry! It'll _all_ be over—!"

With a cry, Edelgard plunged her dagger into Miklan's backhand and he yelled in pain, releasing Dimitri instinctively and letting the current sweep them both away.

Dimitri heard the distant roar of, "BITCH!" Before the waves forced him and Edelgard under.

There, as the river sped them along, she was ripped from him, shoved away by the cruel chilly water. Dimitri's heart leapt into his throat and he twisted through the water hand extended as far as possible to try and reach her. Even as she reached back, their fingertips could only brush one another before another wave pushed they further apart.

Silent panic reappeared on Edelgard's face as she struggled to doggy-paddle forward. Dimitri gritted his teeth and gave one mighty kick, successfully propelling him forwards and allowing him to grab Edelgard's wrist again.

With her now secure, Dimitri dragged her with him as he kicked to the surface and tried once more to reach the river bank.

"Help me, Edelgard," Dimitri panted. "Help me kick."

Edelgard nodded breathlessly and the two clawed their way to the muddy bank, Dimitri sighing in relief as he managed to sink his fingers into the squelching mud and anchor himself. Edelgard took the initiative and did the same, pulling herself off Dimitri's back and crawling onto solid ground.

Dimitri crawled on too soon after but was quickly dragged to his feet by Edelgard. "Hurry. Hurry, he'll catch us," she said while choking and coughing on water. Their boots slipped and sank into the troublesome mud, their leg muscles wobbled and ached, but they kept going, Dimitri glancing worriedly over his shoulder every few seconds.

It was moments later when they heard the distinct sound of pounding boots on mud, spurring the two even faster.

Goddess, _why couldn't he leave them alone?!_

Dimitri's eyes darted around the riverbank for another path, an escape route. Something, anything...

"There!" Edelgard pointed to a cave at the side of the ridge, partially concealed with the dangling leaves of a willow tree.

"Right," Dimitri agreed with a nod, and the two turned sharply to the left, crashing through the leaf curtain and slipping and staggering on the slippery stones as they fled.

As they become encased in darkness and their footsteps echoed, another voice did as well.

"Run all you want!" Miklan barked. "I'll get you! And when I do, _I'll gut you like a rabbit!"_

This only incited the two to run faster, breaths coming out in quick panicked puffs and hearts cracking their rib cages.

Dimitri closed his eyes as he tried and failed to push away the burning in his lungs and legs. He was so tired...he didn't know how much longer he could keep this up.

"Don't give up," Edelgard said firmly. Even in the semi-darkness, her pastel eyes burned visibly. "We won't die here. We won't."

Dimitri met her gaze, forcing a smile onto his face. She was right, they'd make it. They would—

Edelgard gasped and skidded to a stop. Dimitri followed suit and his heart sank to his toes when he realized why.

"No..." Dimitri whispered as he stared in disbelief at the rock filled dead end before him.

An orange glow penetrated through the dim cavern and there was Miklan, charging forwards like a madman, lance raised and war cry ripping through is throat.

Dimitri spun around to face Miklan with narrowed eyes. He didn't care what happened now; all he wanted was for Edelgard to be safe—and for Miklan to die.

Miklan swung downwards and Dimitri rose his forearm to block him and Edelgard both, screaming in agony as the eldritch blade sliced deep into his flesh and dented the metal on his arm.

Miklan laughed in his face while Edelgard exclaimed his name in horror. "Damn, you nobles are absolutely ridiculous! She worth an arm, Dima?"

Dimitri leapt back and panted, arm dripping with blood and thrumming with intense pain as he growled, _"Yes._ Edelgard is worth every limb on my body!" The prince charged forward, clenching the fist belonging to his unwounded arm, calling upon his Crest for the tenth time and punching Miklan straight in the face.

The bandit flew backwards, hitting the cave wall with a pained grunt and falling hard to his knees. He blinked dazedly and spat out three teeth before his shock slowly faded into a simmering rage.

Miklan chuckled, slowly getting to his feet with the aid of his lance and snarling at the now woozy prince and the fiercely glaring princess.

"Okay. That's it. No more mister nice guy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it till Friday!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	16. The Prince in Distress: Finale

_"Edelgard is worth every limb on my body!"_

She didn't know why those words held such a profound and powerful weight, why they effected her so surely, but nevertheless she found herself watching the panting prince with wide eyes. His arm was completely crimson, his muscles were quaking with fatigue, and still those bright blue eyes burned with an insatiable fire.

For _her._

As Miklan slowly stood, lance burning brightly within the cave's gloom, Edelgard placed a palm atop Dimitri's chest and pushed him back slightly. "Stay back, you're injured."

Dimitri shook his head stubbornly. "I won't let him touch you."

"He'll kill you—"

"Let him try," Dimitri locked eyes with her. "He should have never harmed you. I won't let him get away with that."

"Dimi—"

Edelgard wasn't able to argue further, for with a ferocious war cry Miklan charged forward and swung his lance. Edelgard shoved Dimitri behind her and dashed forward to meet him, blocking with her dagger. The sound of the weapons clashing echoed throughout the cave, their respective wielders pushing against the other with all their might.

Within a moment however, Miklan's weight overpowered Edelgard and she was forced to quickly duck out of the way of the blade's path before lunging forward and aiming a stab at the bandit's stomach.

Miklan jumped back, swinging his lance in attack once more but this time, when it connected with Edelgard's dagger, the force made her arm falter.

An error that she shouldn't have allowed, for this allowed The Lance of Ruin to continue its previous trajectory and cut a deep gash across her cheek.

The princess could hardly muster an exclamation of pain before Miklan kneed her hard in the chest and sent her flying against the wall.

"Edelgard!" Dimitri cried as her head thrummed with pain, her dagger clattering somewhere nearby.

"Stay back, Dimitri!" Edelgard yelled, as Dimitri levelled a murderous glare towards Miklan and charged forward with his weary body and bloodied fists.

Edelgard gritted her teeth. _Fool!_

She pushed off the ground, snatched her dagger, and dashed forward, darting between the two charging men and forcing Dimitri to skid to a stop.

Still glaring at him, Edelgard whipped her dagger up over her shoulder to shield a blow from Miklan, wincing slightly at the impact. "Stay. Back," She said sharply before twirling around and burying her dagger in Miklan's exposed shoulder.

He cried out in pain and she danced away before she could be hit with his retaliation strike.

"Edelgard..." Dimitri uttered, brow furrowed in uncertainty.

"You can't fight; stay back," Edelgard repeated through her laboured breathing as she parried another blow from Miklan, shifted to the side to avoid a second and blocked a third.

"Pathetic," Miklan sneered as the two blades clashed for a second time. "Letting your girlfriend fight for you?"

"Ignore him," Edelgard said firmly, eyes still focused on Miklan's hateful brown ones. "He shouldn't be talking anyhow—the only reason he's still alive is due to that weapon he stole."

Miklan narrowed his eyes and pushed back harshly. Edelgard grunted and staggered backwards, hitting the cave wall, but she didn't stop for respite.

She gripped the jagged wall behind her and used it as leverage to jump upwards and push off the wall. She successfully lunged over Miklan's head and landed with a roll, not stopping to regain her bearings or her breath before standing, spinning back around and dashing forward with a war cry of her own, stabbing Miklan with her dagger in the back.

Miklan screeched and pain once more, back arching before he looked over his shoulder with a fiery glare. Quickly, Edelgard dislodged her dagger and leapt back just as he twisted and and slashed at the place she had just been standing, leaving red crackling energy in the blade's wake.

Edelgard landed next to Dimitri panting and the prince gripped one of her shoulders to steady her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She responded as her dagger dripped blood onto the pebbled ground.

With a roar, Miklan charged again and Edelgard readied her dagger, telling Dimitri, "Don't worry, I'll have enough magic to get us out of here shortly."

Dagger met lance once more, again and again and again, a dance of glinting blades and dodging figures.

Edelgard felt her already waning energy depleting further and she silently willed her magic to return; all she needed was little bit—just enough to warp away with Dimitri before their situation became too dire.

**-o0o-**

"I thought you said you could warp. Why are we in the library looking at books?" Felix demanded as Jeritza pulled yet another book from the bookshelf, squinted at it then put it back.

"Yeah, it's been an hour! Shouldn't we bust a move?" Caspar said.

At the two's question, Jeritza gave them a sideways glance and said, "A mage can only Warp to places they've been and it only pinpoints a location, not a person or living thing." He then took out another book, sighed at the cover and returned it.

"I know a tracking spell," Hubert said with a scowl. "Had you let us know what we were in here for, I could have used it promptly instead of you forcing us to waste precious time."

Jeritza silently took out a book and nodded, flipping through the pages before saying, "Dorothea, when did you see Edelgard leave?"

"Last night," Dorothea said with a little frown. "During Dinner."

"And what time is it now?"

"Um...noon, I think."

Jeritza looked up from the book to blink at Hubert. "As Dorothea has so kindly revealed to us, Edelgard has been separated from her possessions for far too long to use in a Tracking Spell. It is _truly_ embarrassing that a mage of your supposed caliber doesn't know that simple fact."

Hubert's scowl darkened and Manuela placed her hands on her hips and said, "Now, now, Jeritza, don't be insulting my students. Don't want me to go Mama Bear on you, do you?"

"I don't much care," Jeritza sighed as he turned back to the book, read over the page he was on and slammed the book shut. "I have found a spell. However, it will only be useful if the person of interest is able to communicate to us."

"Okay, great," Sylvain said, an urgency in his voice as he stepped forward. "How do we find His Highness, then?"

"Wait...I thought we were finding Edelgard," Bernadetta piped up.

"We should go for His Highness first," Dedue said firmly. "He is in immediate danger."

"Yeah, but what if Edelgard is too?" Caspar argued.

"As far as we know, she's perfectly safe," Felix sniffed.

"What are you talking about? She went after a lunatic with a Hero's Relic!" Dorothea snapped.

"But guys!" Ashe said. "If Princess Edelgard found His Highness, then that means they're together and we can save them both!"

"Exactly, Ashe is right," Mercedes nodded. "There's no need to argue."

"And if she didn't?" Lindhart asked with a frown and a raised eyebrow.

"Well—"

"Enough," Jeritza said firmly, ending the argument as he strode out of the library. "We will find a secluded area to depart. Do...any of you have anything in mind?"

There was silence except for the sounds of footsteps against marble and Jeritza sighed heavily. "If you raise your hand...I will obviously not be able to see."

Bernadetta squeaked and muttered a, "Sorry Professor," before shakily stating, "U-um, we can go in one of our rooms?"

"Bernadetta!" Ferdinand cried. "The implications of—"

"Done. We will converge in my room," Jeritza said.

"Will we fit?" Ingrid asked doubtfully.

"Certainly," he replied vaguely.

"What about the Training Grounds?" Felix asked.

"Too public," Jeritza responded.

One of the knights watched curiously as their merry band passed and asked, "Uh...Professors, what's going—?"

"A drill designed to prepare the students lest we are invaded," Jeritza stated monotonously. It was the same line he'd used throughout the day whenever a confused knight, nun or Seteth (who had come out of nowhere and squinted suspiciously at the group thrice already), decided to question him.

"Of course! Carry on," the Knight saluted as the group exited the Monastery building and trudged across the lawn.

Once Jeritza's room was reached, the man opened the door and gestured inside.

The students glanced at the humble space and shifted awkwardly. All save Dedue, Hubert, Sylvain and Dorothea who entered immediately, the brunette turning to say, "Come _on,_ guys! The less time we waste the more time we have to save them."

Reluctantly, the students and Manuela filed in, Jeritza waiting patiently as they packed tightly against one another with grumbles and declarations of stepped toes.

"Why Felix!" Ferdinand, whose nose was pressed against a scowling Felix's head courtesy of a partially snoozing Lindhart from his left and a twitching Sylvain on Felix's right said. "Your hair smells...fantastic! What shampoo do you use?"

"Oh that's what that smell was?" Mercedes said. "I thought it was somebody's perfume."

"You put perfume in your hair?" Caspar snickered.

"What is the wrongness with putting perfume in your hair?" Petra questioned. "In Brigid—"

"I do _not_ put perfume in my hair!" Felix snapped, jerking his head away from Ferdinand with an even darker scowl.

"Come now, Felix!" Ferdinand said. "There's nothing wrong with—"

The students stopped speaking and their eyes fell to Jeritza as his fingers glowed blue, the light vivid and harsh. "We will find Dimitri first."

"After everything's she's done for you," Hubert sneered.

"Forgive me, Hubert," Jeritza said nonchalantly, not even sparing the mage a glance as he concentrated on the spell. "But I don't quite care."

"Honestly, Professor Jeritza!" Manuela scowled. "Are you serious? You wouldn't at least let us take a vote?"

Jeritza rolled his eyes. "How useless. The Blue Lions and I would simply vote for Dimitri and you and your Eagles would vote for Edelgard; a show of hands would do nothing but prolong the arguing as there is an equal number of us."

Hubert scoffed and tried to cross his arms but one of them was pinned by Mercedes's body. Still he grumpily stated, "So in other words, we Eagles came here for nothing."

"Nobody said we were never going to save Edelgard," Annette said placatingly. "We're just going to get Dimitri first. And like Ashe said, if they're together it doesn't even matter."

Manuela sighed. "I suppose that's fair."

Jeritza drew a circle with his glowing fingers, and when they connected the flat circle filled with blue.

**-o0o-**

Dimitri hated this feeling.

Blood loss had muddled his thoughts and had made the pain fade into a distant dull pulsating. From his spot sitting against the hard stone wall, Glenn stared blankly at him.

When he turned back to the fight, his heart lurched. He couldn't stand any longer, but El was in danger...

Curling the fingers belonging to his uninjured arm he called upon his weak but now present Crest, trying to force himself to his feet with one hand.

He needed to save her...he needed—

Even with his Crest, his legs were spent, not having the energy to support his body he crashed back to his knees in defeat.

Damn him. _Damn him_ for letting Miklan capture—

A blue orb of light flickered before him. Dimitri furrowed his brow in confusion before the orb...spoke.

"Dimitri?" A familiar voice said, and this sparked Dimitri's confusion more.

"Dimitri. Do tell me this is you—it would be utterly embarrassing if my spell failed, and it's eating up an abnormal amount of magic," the orb continued.

Dimitri pulled himself closer to the orb, wincing at the tearing of his wounds before weakly murmuring, "P-Professor Jeritza...?"

This response was met with the cry of a dozen voices overlapping one another and Dimitri winced, feeling a headache blooming. His gaze darted towards Edelgard and Miklan—Edelgard sporting multiple gashes on her face and torn spots in her clothing. It was clear Miklan had the offensive hand, but Edelgard was faster.

She couldn't last forever though.

"Professor...what is this?" Dimitri promoted in a low voice.

The voices faded away with several "shh" and "shut ups!" from their peers before Jeritza spoke. "I assumed it would be obvious. But this is a communication orb, it will only exist for a few moments so tell me your location before it disappears and you inevitably die from whatever threat you're facing."

"Oh, Professor!" Dimitri heard Annette complain and he smiled despite the dire situation.

"A...a cave. We're in a cave."

"...and?" Jeritza promoted before being cut off by and urgent Dorothea, "Dimitri, is Edelgard with you?"

"Yes. She's fighting Miklan," Dimitri responded, eyes darting back to the fight. Edelgard hit the ground with a grunt but quickly rolled back to her feet to avoid a downwards stab from Miklan's lance. Rock struck the eldritch weapon and black and red sparks exploded in the air.

"Obviously. He said 'we're'," Felix scoffed and Dorothea immediately snapped back, "I know my grammar Felix, _thank you._ I was just making sure."

"Enough with your squabbling," Jeritza said firmly before asking, "Give me specifics of your location, Dimitri. 'A cave' is simply too vague."

Dimitri opened his mouth to respond with some other specifics when Edelgard's dagger pinwheeled through the air and clattered against ground, Edelgard meanwhile sprawling to the ground beside him with a cry of pain and a bleeding side.

Dimitri gasped, eyes snapping to the slowly approaching Miklan as he twirled his lance proudly, flicking blood into the air.

"For the _love_ my sanity, Dimitri," the oblivious Jeritza uttered, spurring Edelgard and Miklan to stare at the orb in confusion. "Which isn't much may I add—specifics...please? Before the spell becomes naught."

Understanding bloomed on both the now kneeling Edelgard and the now pausing Miklan's faces, before slowly their expressions morphed. Edelgard in dread and Miklan in sick glee.

"Aw, are you calling for help, Dima?" Miklan cackled mockingly and Dimitri's heart plummeted to his toes.

"Miklan!" Sylvain growled angrily from within the orb and Miklan's glee intensified.

"Baby brother, good to hear from you! How've you been? Personally I've been busy injuring noble brats! And you?"

"Where is His Highness?" Dedue demanded darkly.

"And Lady Edelgard," Hubert said in a voice that equally promised violence.

Miklan smiled and leaned his lance against the wall before standing behind Dimitri and Edelgard and digging his fingers into their hair.

"Oh, them?" He gripped the individual heads of hair and tugged sharply, causing them both to cry out in pain. "They're doing _fine,_ trust me!"

"You didn't answer the question, Miklan," Sylvain growled. "Where are you, you bastard?"

Miklan hummed and crouched, blessedly releasing Dimitri and Edelgard's hair from his tight grasp before draping his arms around their necks saying, "Tell you what, Sylvain. If you want Dima and the princess so badly I'll let you and your little friends fight for them. You can meet me...huh, somewhere suitability atmospheric...how about Conand Tower? Any of you kids know it?"

"Faerghus," Ingrid said tightly, voice shaking slightly. "Near...near Galatea."

Miklan grinned and tightened his bruising grip on his two prisoners. "Good girl, Ingrid. Meet me there, bring your weapons, and show me what you can do, okay?"

"We'll come," Sylvain said. "Just...don't hurt him anymore in the meantime."

"Yeah _no._ Can't promise that, Baby Brother! He's just too much _fun_ to make squeal," he emphasized this point by reaching over and crushing Dimitri's deeply gashed arm with a meaty palm. The prince couldn't stop the scream of agony that escaped his lips as the darkness behind his scrunched lids spotted with flashes of light.

Miklan laughed as Sylvain yelled, "Stop it!" Before he let Dimitri's arm go.

"Conand Tower then?" Jeritza asked calmly. "We will come...I look forward to facing you."

"Yeah!" An unfamiliar voice yelled. "Bring it on you big jerk!"

The orb disappeared in a quick burst of light and the only remaining colour in the cave became the orange light of The Lance of Ruin.

"Well!" Miklan said happily. "Looks like we're going on a—!"

The cave lit up with a second burst of light —a brilliantly glowing orange and white light—before Edelgard pressed her flaming palm against Miklan's chest.

Miklan yelled in pain as Edelgard shoved his arm away and lunged for her dagger—fingers brushing the hilt when the bandit slammed her face into the ground.

"No! Edel— _gah!"_ Dimitri's attempt to reach for her was stopped abruptly as well as Miklan squeezed the prince tighter around his neck and weakened his air supply.

"Alright, Princess," Miklan said, leaning towards her writhing, struggling form. "If you got enough magic to do a Flame Spell, I'm sure you have enough to

take us to our new destination, yeah?"

He grabbed her by the back of the neck and trapped her to his chest with a headlock once more, Dimitri feeling rage stab his heart when he witnessed the blood pouring from Edelgard's nose and the gash on her forehead. However his attempt at breaking free from his current predicament and helping her once more was proven futile due to his pathetic state and the way Miklan still held him.

Still, she glared defiantly up at him before stating with a raspy voice, "If you were banking on my aide, I'm afraid I'll have to sorely disappointed you."

"But would you disappoint Dima?" Miklan asked with faux innocence, knowing smirk sliding on to his face as he tightened his hold on Dimitri's throat.

Dimitri grunted in discomfort at the pressure, using his uninjured hand to claw at Miklan's wrist.

Miklan's words became muffled and gave the effect of an echo as Dimitri's vision blurred, but he could still make out his words. "Would be a shame if you went all this way for nothing, wouldn't it?"

Edelgard didn't respond, and Dimitri couldn't tell her expression through his waning vision. "Well?" The bandit promoted, squeezing tighter. Dimitri let out a desperate gasp for oxygen as Edelgard firmly said, "Stop."

"I want your answer, Princess. You going take us to Conrad Tower or are you going to let me kill Dima and drag you behind my horse instead?"

"Why don't I burn you again instead?" Edelgard challenged.

"Why don't you?"

Edelgard went silent.

Miklan laughed as Dimitri's oxygen deprived brain lit with an idea.

Why didn't _he?_

"Oh that's right!" Miklan mocked as Dimitri allowed his grasping uninjured hand to drop and focused on his magic. "Still magic wasted, yeah? Saving up for the impossible chance you and Dima can slip out of my grasp? Can't help but admire the naïveté!"

"How dare you," Edelgard snarled as Dimitri's palm lit with a weak flame through his fluttering eyelids—not nearly as bright as Edelgard's, but he was certain it'd make Jeritza proud. Then, before darkness could claim him and Miklan could open his vile mouth again, Dimitri used the rest of his remaining strength to throw his arm back and press his flaming palm against the bandit's face.

Dimitri heard a muffled agonized scream that echoed throughout the cave before the bandit's arm slackened and the prince's limp body slumped to the ground.

He felt a pair of small hands hoisting him from underneath his armpits, dragging him swiftly away as the horrible scent of burning flesh filled Dimitri's nostrils.

"Edel...Edelgard..." he murmured weakly as she felt her lean him against the wall.

"DIMITRI!" Miklan roared in rage in contrast to Edelgard's soft, "Once we're safe I will heal you. Just stay with me for a few more moments..."

Dimitri felt magic spark the air, breeze flutter through his hair and a moment of weightlessness before it ended abruptly and the scent of devouring flames filled his nose again.

"Come on..." Edelgard said through gritted teeth, hands squeezing Dimitri's shoulders. "Blasted spell..."

Dimitri forced his eyes open, tensing at the sight of Miklan stumbling towards them, lance raised and burning a vivid red, face horribly charred and hair singed and falling in clumps from his head.

He was bleeding from multiple wounds and burnt on the chest and face, and yet he still perused them. What would warping to safety do? Dimitri was positive Miklan would single handedly break into Garreg Mach just to get to them.

And _Dimitri_ had down this. _He_ had dragged Edelgard and now the rest of his friends and the Black Eagles into this, because _he'd_ let himself get captured.

Why didn't Edelgard just leave him? Why hadn't she just let Miklan take the ransom and inevitably kill him once he got what he wanted?

Edelgard tried again, oblivious to the slowly approaching danger as she glowed magenta and the magic kicked up once more, white hair hovering ethereally in the air as the magic flickered in and out of existence. Hair that had once been a warm brown, now a pale alabaster testament to all she had to endure—all that Dimitri couldn't save her from.

In that moment, he made a split second decision.

Just as he felt the environment fade away and the spell finally take hold, Dimitri rose his weary leg and kicked Edelgard in the chest, successfully dislodging her from his shoulders.

Her body fell backwards and her eyes snapped open in shock before she disappeared in a flash of magenta.

Instantaneously, a weight lifted off Dimitri's shoulders. Not even Miklan plunging The Lance of Ruin into his leg and pulling forth a scream from the prince's lips could lessen the sense of sheer relief.

"You are one idiot noble, Dima, aren't you?" Miklan wheezed, his horribly burnt lips twisting into a cruel grin. "Giving..." _wheeze_ "your freedom away like that is just..." Miklan let out a delirious choked laugh before kneeling before him and grabbing his chin in a firm grip.

"You...you would f-find us once more if...if we ran again," Dimitri breathed weakly.

Miklan chuckled and coughed wheezingly. As Dimitri continued. "Edelgard is out of your grasp now but...you have me," Dimitri locked eyes with him, seeing the reflection of his bleeding and bruised form in those hateful brown eyes—oh so different from Sylvain's. "Just like you wanted, Mik...Miklan. Ransom me, kill me...torture me, even, but don't chase her. _Please."_

Miklan tilted his head to the side and roughly wheezed, "Tempting, all three of those requests. But you see..." _cough_ "I have a feeling that that wouldn't hurt _nearly_ as much as what I'm going to do once your little friends and no doubt the Princess come running for you at Conrad Tower."

Dimitri's heart stuttered, eyes wide as he watched the deadly glowing weapon before him. They were going to die. They were all going to die for his sake.

"Miklan—"

"Save your begging for the Goddess, yeah?" Miklan sneered.

Dimitri's breath caught. Pain, hopelessness, regret and indignation clenching his heart.

He had no words for her _._

**-o0o-**

Edelgard landed unceremoniously, crashing to the hard ground and tumbling across the grass before her body slammed into the hard wood of a tree.

Grunting in pain as a bruise formed on her thigh, she squeezed her eyes shut waiting for the spinning in her head to fade away.

Think, think, think...

Edelgard curled her fingers into fists and pushed herself to her knees on quivering arms, wincing as the gash on her side protested with a sharp sting.

So.

She'd tried using all her regained magic to warp directly into the Monastery and save Dimitri's life. _Instead,_ Edelgard was in the middle of nowhere with no Dimitri, no magic, and...

Her hand fell to her hip and her heart sent icicles shooting through her veins. No solid, omnipresent and comforting dagger hilt greeted her gloves and filthy fingertips.

Edelgard sighed heavily and let her hand drop. Just as she feared, she had lost her beloved weapon—so she was also weaponless on top of not knowing where she was, bleeding out on the unfamiliar forest ground, and failing to rescue Dimitri after all her troubles.

Although, to be fair...that last part wasn't really her fault. In fact with the exception of forgetting her fallen dagger her entire current predicament was Dimitri's fault! He'd broken her concentration and botched the spell, agitated her wound by kicking it, _and_ had been dislodged from the magic's pull.

Edelgard shook her head angrily as she gripped a low hanging bough and slowly hoisted herself to her feet. "Fool," she hissed. They were so close! Why did he do that? She couldn't fathom—?

It was at that moment when she remembered his face a split second before she left—dull. The fire once alight in his eyes moments ago quenched and turned to hard coal, lids and head lowered in resignation.

The same face that she'd seen that night during The Great Tree Moon.

But...no. That couldn't be it, could it? He couldn't just throw his future...

 _"What promising future, Edelgard? The one where I take the throne I'm not worthy of? Or the one where my sins catch up to me and I die on the battlefield chasing vengeance?"_ Dimitri's words that night answered her silent query, and she was also brought back to the far more recent fight—how Dimitri had used his own arm to shield her from a Hero's Relic of all things.

Gritting her teeth Edelgard stumbled forwards, wrapping her wound with her arms as she trudged through the woods.

So after she she had told him her deepest pain and coaxed him away from his demons he _still_ didn't see the point of a future? She had lost family too, lost part of her life span even—why was _he_ allowed to give up?

No, that was wrong. He _wasn't_ allowed to give up—Edelgard wouldn't let him. She wasn't about to loose one of the very few people she cared about to an impromptu suicide attempt!

Edelgard continued staggering onwards, sweat sliding from her brow and crimson darkening her clothing. She had no clue where she was going, she just hoped it was towards a village of some sort—if she could just rest then she could warp back and—

 _'Who am I kidding?'_ Edelgard's mind uttered. _'He'll surely be dead by then—if not by Miklan's hand than surely from blood loss.'_

Edelgard shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind; she didn't get this far listening to foolishness like that after all.

She had been pathetically limping for Fódlan knows how long before she heard a sound that stopped her in her tracks. Edelgard inhaled sharply, eyes snapping towards the rustling bushes besides her.

She was wounded, weaponless, and currently couldn't even make the tiniest fireball.

Fantastic.

Edelgard was in the middle of contemplating if she should make a quick retreat, wait and see if this was just a woodland creature, or stay and fight when a blue and black blur shot out of the bushes with a war cry and slammed into her.

She gasped in pain at the impact of her body hitting the ground and the weight above her, preparing to deliver the strongest punch a dazed and bleeding five foot tall girl could deliver before the body above her cried, "What the— _Edelgard?!"_

Blinking in surprise, Caspar's surprised face came into focus. "Caspar?" Edelgard said in shock as the boy quickly scrambled off her.

"Whoa, you're okay! I can't believe—!"

"Caspar! You did _not_ just chase after what you assumed to be a bloodthirsty bandit!" Manuela exclaimed in the distance as her

footsteps crashing through the undergrowth.

"Nope! Just Edelgard!" Caspar called back with an air of smugness as he helped Edelgard lean against his shoulder and stood up slowly with her.

This revelation elicited the sound of multiple curious voices and more running footsteps as Manuela finally emerged, eyes wide and jaw dropped. "Oh Goddess..."

Moments later, Hubert had charged through as well, leaves and twigs stuck in his hair as he breathlessly said, "Lady Edelgard."

One by one, the Eagles and Lions all ran towards her and Caspar, questions and exclamations overlapping one another and bodies pressing close to her—too close for comfort—it didn't help that Caspar was shouting his own excited questions while she was still leaning against him. Hubert's sharp demands to step back and Manuela's attempt to shove forward and properly tend to her wounds proved frustratingly futile.

Then, Jeritza simply stated, "She is in the midst of bleeding to death."

His voice wasn't even raised, but it seemed to remind everyone of the current situation.

"Oh, Edie," Dorothea gasped, staring in horror at Edelgard's darkening uniform as she and the other students stepped back with the exception of Caspar. Some looked rather guilty while others looked like they were impatiently itching for answers—Felix most notably.

"Set her down gently, Caspar," Manuela instructed, and the boy complied. The students and Jeritza formed a curious circle around them as Manuela raised her her hands to Edelgard's chest before they glowed a ghostly pale light.

Edelgard closed her eyes and sighed blissfully as the magic washed over her like a comforting wave of warmth. It was reminiscent of a loving hug or a warm blanket on a cold evening as Manuela moved her hands from one are to another. Slowly, she felt her wounds close and the weariness in her muscles dissipate into nothingness—it was almost as if they were never there in the first place.

"Well, it seems you stupidly charging into battles actually did some good for once," Lindhart stated begrudgingly. Caspar looked up at him and grinned. "Aw, thanks Lin!"

"There we are," Manuela said as the magic stopped. Edelgard felt strangely cold and dazed as the woman pulled her hand back.

"Where's The Boar?" Felix said as soon as Manuela stood up once more and Caspar helped Edelgard follow suit. The swordsman crossed his arms and regarded her with narrowed eyes as he continued, "He was with you, wasn't he?"

Edelgard took in a deep breath and locked eyes with Felix coolly, ensuring she was wording her sentence correctly before saying, "Dimitri forced me to leave him behind." Straightforward and blunt, and excellently covering up the anxiety she was truly feeling on the subject. "I tried warping us both to safety but he kicked me away seconds before the spell was supposed to teleport us."

"Oh no..." The Blue Lions healer said with worried frown, exchanging a look with the equally worried looking strawberry blonde mage.

"Fool," Felix scoffed as Sylvain urgently asked, "Where was he last? Do you know? Maybe we can—"

"If we confront that bandit now wouldn't that put the prince at risk?" Ferdinand chimed in, pushing between Sylvain and Felix who both glared at him in annoyance. "Breaking his terms seems like a dangerous thing to do given how clearly unstable he is."

"But wouldn't catching him on his way to the tower take him by surprise?" Ashe asked. "And with our numbers—"

"He has a _Hero's Relic,"_ Lindhart emphasized. "Who knows what he can do with that _despite_ our numbers?"

"I am confused as to why we are having this conversation," Hubert drawled. "Lady Edelgard is now safe, the Eagles can take our leave."

"Leave if you'd like, Hubert," Edelgard said firmly. "I left the Monastery to save Dimitri and I won't go back until I do just that."

Hubert frowned in confusion as he turned to her. "Lady Edelgard?"

"I'm going to stop Miklan and bring Dimitri back," she said resolutely, before turning to the Eagles. "If you all share Hubert's reservations, you can leave now."

"No way!" Caspar said automatically, pumping a fist. "I came for a battle and I'm getting one!"

"I'm staying too," Dorothea said seriously, clasping Edelgard's hands, much to the princess's surprise. In a more jokey voice she added, "Can't risk your loosing your sweetheart, right?"

Edelgard scowled and snatched her hands back as Dorothea laughed amusedly.

"I shall stay too," Ferdinand announced proudly, placing a fist over his heart. "You all will need someone well versed on the lay of Fódlan's land after all!"

"I'm staying because Caspar is going to die without me," Lindhart said and Caspar snapped, "Will not!"

"I too will be giving my assistance," Petra promised with a smile.

"Bernadetta?" Edelgard asked, and the girl squeaked.

"U-Um," Bernadetta shuffled her feet and looked down at her toes. "I...I really wouldn't be that much help I don't think—"

"Nonsense, Bernie!" Dorothea said. "You're a fantastic archer! You'd be a great help if you came with."

Bernadetta peered up the brunette and gave a shy smile. "Um...well...okay."

"Great! The more the merrier!" The strawberry blonde Blue Lions mage cheered and Hubert huffed and crossed his arms.

"Oh come now, you!" The Blue Lions healer chided lightly, placing dainty hand on Hubert's shoulder. He blinked twice in surprise as he instinctively tensed while the young woman continued, "The Goddess sees all good deeds; she'll bless you for this."

Hubert wrinkled his nose and jerked his shoulder away, Edelgard similarly feeling a mild twinge of disdain at such ludicrous statements.

"Alright, what's the plan?" Edelgard said, turning away from her retainer and the hurt healer towards her peers.

"Hubert, Lindhart and Professor Jeritza had never visited Faerghus—let alone Conrad Tower," Ingrid said. "But Hubert has been to places near it; hence our current location. We were planning on walking from here to the Tower which should take a day or two."

"But _you_ have seen His Highness last," Dedue said, turning to Edelgard. "If he is still there fighting Miklan, perhaps we can forgo this entire ordeal and bring him to safety immediately."

"That is if Miklan keeps his word and doesn't kill him," Sylvain muttered.

Edelgard frowned and clenched her jaw, once again pushing away the feelings of fear twisting within her chest. "He...isn't fighting Miklan. He doesn't have the strength to."

"Then chances are he's not even there anymore," The freckled archer said dejectedly.

' _Or dead,'_ was the other option that hung silent in the forest.

"I have feelings that we should still go," Petra piped up, everyone turning to her as she continued. "There can be clues on his whereabouts—footprints, cloth, blood, dropped weapons."

 _'Like my dagger,'_ Edelgard immediately thought hopefully before cursing herself for the irrelevant thought.

"What would blood and a damn footprint do for us?" Felix snorted.

"There are many rituals in Brigid that can summon helpful spirits—it would be requiring Dimitri's blood, or the essence of his footsteps to help him specifically," Petra responded simply.

The Blue Lions archer turned to Petra slowly with wide eyes. "Sp...spirits?" He repeated in a quivering voice.

"No, Petra noooo!" Bernadetta cried in horror. "Don't summon any spirits!"

Petra tilted her head to the side and frowned. "I lack understandings—what is the issue with spirits, most are kind...unless...have any of you disrespected nature or any burial grounds recently?"

"Could we get back to the subject, please?" Ingrid asked irritably as the archer paled and Bernadetta wailed pitifully.

"Enough, Bernadetta," Hubert said shortly, causing the girl to clamp her mouth shut immediately.

"If Dimitri has indeed dropped something of personal belonging, we could track him down with normal magic," Jeritza mused. "But...could blood work? I have never attempted it. Interesting."

"What's the point? Shouldn't we all just hurry up and get to Conrad Tower?" Sylvain said with a smudge of impatience in his voice. "Because time's ticking—if Miklan gets there first and we take too long he could—"

"Never fear," Ferdinand said earnestly, raising his lance. "I, Ferdinand von Aiger, will not rest until Miklan is brought to justice!"

"For the love of—do you talk like a fairytale character _on purpose?"_ Felix demanded in annoyed exasperation.

 _"Right?"_ Lindhart sighed. "It's tiring."

"No, no, it's all high and mighty noble talk; nothing Prince Charming about it." Dorothea said, inspecting her nails.

Ferdinand deflated and mumbled something about human cruelty. "What's wrong with chivalry? It's an admirable trait that Prince Dimitri displays all the time," Ingrid said.

"It's The Boar's so called _chivalry_ that's kept him in Miklan's dirty clutches," Felix retorted. "Nothing admirable about self righteousness at all."

"Guys!" Sylvain snapped. "Come on, if we're going we have to go now."

Jeritza nodded towards Edelgard. "Edelgard, warp us there and we'll see if there's anything of value. Perhaps we can, like Ashe suggested catch him off guard by locating him first."

**-o0o-**

Miklan was insane.

He stank of blood and his clothes were weighed down with the leaking dark fluids, not to mention his charred and partially missing face—and yet he carried on with little inconvenience. On the ride to Conrad Tower he had been twirling his brightly glowing lance with one hand and gripping the reins of his horse with the other, all while he sang cheerfully and Dimitri lay draped over the horse's rear, slipping in and out of consciousness.

Part way through the journey, the horse had collapsed from exhaustion and had sent both riders tumbling to the forest floor, but Miklan after a curse had got up, hoisted Dimitri over his shoulder and continued onwards.

And now he was watching a wounded man kill dozens upon dozens of guards.

Rain poured from the sky, washing away the blood and mud off Dimitri's body and blurring his vision from his spot leaning against a tree, legs and arms bound like they had for the entire long journey.

Dimitri didn't know why Miklan even bothered—he wasn't going anywhere in his condition, even if he wanted, cloth bandages or no.

Blood painted the translucent droplets in crimson and the Lance of Ruin flashed brilliantly in the nighttime downpour. Dimitri couldn't stop imagining those faceless soldiers as Felix, or Sylvain, or Ingrid. Ashe, Mercedes, Annette...

_El._

Dimitri's lip trembled and he looked away, swallowing the lump in his throat. He should escape, he should. But he couldn't—how far could he run with a wounded leg and a sore body?

His weakness was going to kill people he loved all over again. They were going to become ghosts and haunt him like Father, Glenn, and Stepmother.

"Why?" He whispered, voice cracking as he trembled with sobs. _Why?_

"Aw, don't cry, Dima!" Miklan crowed and Dimitri's head snapped up, the rain whipping away the tears on his cheeks as he watched the bandit stepping towards him. "It'll all be over soon, yeah? _Up_ we go!"

Miklan grabbed the rope binding Dimitri's wrists and forced him to his feet. The prince grunted and fell to his knees as his weak limbs gave out immediately and moments later, Miklan had thrown him over his shoulder again.

"Yeesh. Can't believe _you're_ the heir of Faerghus," Miklan chuckled and shook his head as they entered the broken gates that had once guarded the tower, bloodied corpses littering the ground all the way into the tower proper. "Don't think I've ever met someone so weak!"

Dimitri didn't argue, didn't even feel hurt—it was the truth after all.

"You've been oddly silent, Dim—" Miklan coughed and spat out yet another broken tooth spotted with blood before continuing, "Dima. What's the matter? You're making this kinda boring with this depressive routine."

Silence except for the echoing of footsteps on dark stone and the dripping of water droplets from Dimitri's hanging bangs.

"Well?" Miklan said, jostling the prince firmly. Dimitri tensed and sighed before muttering, "What...what do you want me t-to say?"

"Just about anything would be nice! Like last time, threaten to turn my lungs into balloon animals or something, or, or, even better! Beg for the lives of your friends," Miklan supplied as his footsteps echoed across the large clearing the steps had led up to.

"I don't...don't have the strength to be a threat, and begging is wasted on merciless men like you," Dimitri said, voice tinged with a hint biting bitterness.

Miklan snorted as he descended a set of steps and kicked away a dead archer while he did so. "True, true. That's what makes it so fun though!"

"I'm n-not going to entertain you, Miklan," Dimitri said coldly.

Miklan shrugged, the motion jostling Dimitri again as he kicked an already broken door down and stepped inside the giant circular room, rain drummed against the windows and lightning crashed outside.

"Well whatever," Miklan said tossing Dimitri unceremoniously onto the ground, causing the prince to cry out at the sharp pain of impact. "The real party starts when your moronic friends come along. I'll get to see you crying and screaming when I bring their corpses for you anyway."

Dimitri looked away and let out a shuddering breath, the lightning outside giving an almighty crash.

**-o0o-**

When taking Petra and Jeritza with her to scour the cave, nothing of value had been found—all except the dagger of course. There was no Dimitri and no Miklan—all that remained were torn rope, bandages, and horse hoof prints.

That meant they had wasted precious minutes on a useless detour, something Felix was all too glad to point out as they started their long trek.

"It is appearing to be a half-day walk through rest of the ways," Petra said from atop a tall tree bough later that evening as they got their camp ready for the night.

"Good," the archer Edelgard learned was named Ashe said with a smile, looking at the map draped over his lap as he sat on a far lower bough. "It seems we're making good time!"

"You guys think Miklan's there already?" Sylvain asked, staring at the looming tower in the distance. "You think he's even going to keep his promise?"

"I believe so," Edelgard responded as Petra nimbly leapt down from the tree. "Before I managed to escape he attempt to threaten me into warping us there. He's certain of his abilities."

"He must be if he's choosing Conrad Tower of all places," Felix said, helping Annette and Dedue with the fire. "That place is guarded to the teeth."

As the fire was lit, the students and their two professors sat around it in foreboding silence, weapons placed nearby along with camping bags and fish being roasted by the licking flames.

Finally, the girl Edelgard learned was Annette sighed heavily and said, "Guys come on! We can beat him!"

Lindhart snorted and poked idly at the flames as Annette continued, "We're all super good fighters and there's a bunch of us!"

"There's a bunch of guards at Conrad Tower," Ingrid said in subdued tone. "If Miklan's inside then—"

"But _they_ weren't prepared," Ashe said firmly. "We are!"

"Are we?" Lindhart said. "He has a Hero's Relic."

"But we have something even better!" Annette said excitedly.

"What? The power of friendship?" Felix scoffed.

"I was going to say teamwork," Annette said. "But yeah, we have that too!"

"Annette is right," Ferdinand said, standing up and placing his fists on his hips. "We cannot loose hope now!"

"Too late," Bernadetta muttered, who was currently laying in a fetal position on her side.

"I have a good feeling about tomorrow," Mercedes said with a smile, just as the distant sound of a man's scream filled the air.

All turned to the imposing sight of the tower where the scream had come from.

"I need a drink," Manuela sighed as she stood up and walked off to retrieve her flask.

**-o0o-**

Dimitri coughed and choked on the water Miklan forced down his throat before the bandit deemed him quenched enough and blessedly moved the bowl away.

"Ah," Miklan grinned, showcasing an array of missing teeth and tearing the scab at the side of his lips. "Showtime." He got up and tossed the bowl aside as he looked out the window with sick glee in his eyes.

Dimitri swallowed both the water and mounting dread as he asked, "Do you...see them?"

"Not yet," Miklan responded, twirling his lance causally. "Only a matter of time though. I can feel it."

Dimitri tried willing his sporadically beating heart to slow, tried lessening the tremble in his bones but...oh Goddess he was so scared. So scared for them.

But he couldn't give up hope. Edelgard had held her own against Miklan while he was at his most angry and vicious. Certainly she could again while he was smug and careless, certainly she and the Eagles and the Lions combined could win against him.

Right?

"Ready to watch your friends die, Dima?" Miklan asked, grinning eerily at him over his shoulder. "'Cause I am." He lifted up his lance and it glowed brighter, twitching like a fleeing insect—it made Dimitri's skin crawl. "And so does Lancey! Right, Lancey?"

Miklan stroked the weapon with an almost tender smile and Dimitri looked away with a shudder. To stroke a weapon in the way you'd touch lover was simply...

Goddess, was Miklan always this...unhinged or was it that terrifying weapon? Could that be why he was still fighting and walking and speaking gleefully as he left puddles of blood in his wake?

"How are you still standing?" Dimitri voiced his question out loud. The bandit turned to him, gaze blank and brow muscles furrowed as if the prince had just spoken a foreign language.

"How am I...?" Miklan glanced down at his blood drenched clothing for what looked like the first time. "Huh," he said in mild surprise. "Maybe I should thank you?" He suggested, striding forwards and crouching before Dimitri once more with his deformed grin.

"Hadn't felt a single wound since you burned my face," he said with a little laugh, tilting his head to the side before giving his precious lance a sideways glance, giving its handle a little squeeze. "Although...wouldn't be surprised if Lancey helped me out as well."

Could Hero's Relics do that? Detach you from pain? What exactly were they made out of?

"It's a good thing too!" Miklan continued, turning back to Dimitri. "Your girlfriend gave me a bunch of wounds that hurt like hell—need to be in top shape for the show, y'know?"

A loud thud and a war cry echoed throughout the empty tower, and both figures tensed, two pairs of eyes locking on the room door behind them.

"Anyway, like I said," Miklan grinned as he stood and strode towards the doors, standing with his lance out in a fighting stance. "Showtime."

**-o0o-**

"Ugh," Lindhart groaned in disgust after Caspar had kicked the already unhinged door open with a whoop. He covered his nose and backed away from the entrance as Mercedes echoed his thoughts. "Oh! This is awful," she said, wide blue eyes flickering from mangled corpse to mangled corpse. "One man did this?"

"It would appear that Miklan is a powerful advisory after all...intriguing," Jeritza smiled as he stepped into the tower completely nonplused.

Manuela stepped forward as well and turned to the students with a frown. "Alright, kids. This isn't any ordinary thief or bandit—this is a dangerous lunatic. If any of you want to back out now, do it."

"I'm going," Edelgard said firmly, feeling considerably more prepared with an axe hefted over her shoulder.

"It's not even a question for the Blue Lions Professor," Ingrid said seriously.

Manuela rose an eyebrow at her own students. "And my Eagles? Any second thoughts?"

"I follow wherever Lady Edelgard goes," Hubert said, stepping beside the princess.

"Me too," Dorothea agreed stepping forward as well, hands sparking with electricity. Her lips quirked into a smile as she added, "And what a tale to see, the beautiful princess saving her dashing prince instead of the other way around!"

"Now that you say it...yeah!" Ashe said enthusiastically. "I should start doing that—spinning situations into fairytales so everything's a lot less scarier."

"This _isn't_ a fairytale," Felix said sharply, glaring at Dorothea and Ashe both. "We go in there there's a chance we don't come out."

Dorothea looked exasperatedly into the sky and said, "Sure, Mr. Moody."

Bernadetta shuddered and hugged herself. "Ah...I um...maybe I should—"

"I'll...probably stay out here with Bernadetta," Lindhart said, disgustedly eyeing the row of corpses splayed throughout the entrance hallway.

"Aw, come on, Lindhart!" Caspar said with a disappointed frown. "Your magic skills are sick! They'd totally help us out."

"You have a bunch of mages with you already," Lindhart argued. "Besides, _someone_ has to stay with Bernadetta and I'm sure you all will need Professor Manuela's power to—"

"Miklan!" Jeritza's voice echoed deep within the tower. "Show yourself, and battle me."

"Well time's up thanks to that adrenaline junky," Manuela grumbled, hands glowing. "Can't have him fighting that bandit on his own after all. Anyone who's fighting, come along quick."

Taking in a deep breath, Edelgard steeled herself, gripping her axe hilt and stepping into the bloody hallway, tensing every time her heel crushed a severed finger or squelched within a pool of blood.

She swallowed her doubt as she stood before the steps leading upwards and glared into the darkened platform above. She had nearly bested him before with naught but a dagger—now healed with magic and wielding something stronger, as well as accompanied with allies...

"You made a foolish mistake, Miklan," Edelgard stated out loud into the darkness as she ascended the steps. Behind her, she could here the sound of several other footsteps and the glow of magic spells shimmering against the smooth blood soaked marble walls.

As Edelgard reached the top, she found Jeritza with his sword drawn, frown on his face as he glanced around the large floor. "Either Miklan has lost his nerve or—"

Behind them both, Caspar charged forward with a war cry as he finished running up the final steps, slashing his axe around blindly. "Hey! Jerk! Where are you!?"

"Making this much noise is unadvisable," Dedue said, stopping Caspar's movements with a firm hand on his shoulder. "We may have surprise on our side."

"Doubtful," Felix scoffed. "That fool screamed kicking the door down and this one—" he tilted his head towards Jeritza. "Already announced our presence."

"Too true!"

Edelgard inhaled sharply and her head snapped up. There, standing at the ledge of the third floor stood a silhouette—a silhouette dripping blood down the walls.

Seconds later, he leapt off, landing so hard atop the marble that it cracked and splintered. Then standing up to his full height, and holding up his glowing lance proudly, Edelgard could properly see Miklan's face.

Or at least what was left of it.

The skin had been peeled away and singed, leaving red muscle and dark scars in its wake. The wicked grin he showcased revealed many missing teeth and pulled multiple scars taught.

"Oh my...!" Mercedes gasped as everyone else either backed away in horror or readied their weapons.

"Miklan," Sylvain ground out, stepping forward with his own iron lance clenched in hand.

Miklan's eyes landed on Sylvain and his smirk disappeared. "Sylvain . Did you come to get The Lance of Ruin back?"

"I came to get my friend back," Sylvain spat. "Unlike you, I can look outside myself."

Miklan laughed bitterly. "Ever thought it's because your Crest bearing privileged ass is able to _not_ care about your own well being?"

"Oh boo-hoo!" Dorothea said, rolling her eyes. "News flash, there's a lot of us without Crests who are just fine not antagonizing people for no reason, thank you very much."

"Yeah!" Caspar echoed. "What gives _you_ the right to be a whiny jerk? Why hurt innocents?"

"Innocents!" Miklan repeated with another bitter laugh. "What innocents? The nobles who cast us aside for not having 'Blessed Blood?' The weak commoners who accept it with a bowed head?" His eyes locked on

Edelgard's and his semi-toothless snark intensified. "The royals who do jack about it?"

Edelgard's current frown deepened as Miklan continued. "Sorry to break it to you kiddos but there _are_ no innocents in Fódlan." He then nodded towards Dedue. "You'd know, wouldn't you?"

Dedue narrowed his eyes slightly as Miklan then nodded towards Petra. "And you! Aren't you a pair of puppet strings wrapped with flesh? Are you okay with being a pawn to keep your country in line?"

Petra blinked and frowned slightly as Dedue stepped forwards. "Where is His Highness?"

"Oh! I forgot about Dima!" Miklan cackled and looked upwards, holding his lance skyward and casting a bright glow all around the cavern. "You've been all alone in the dark, haven't you?"

There, battered, bruised, bleeding and slumped over the lip of the third floor's ledge was Dimitri. Blonde bangs covered his face and his skin was a ghostly pale peppered in blue, green and red—Edelgard wouldn't be surprised if he was nothing more than a corpse.

"Dimitri!" Annette cried in horror as Sylvain shot his brother a glare and snapped, "Damn you!"

"Want him back?" Miklan grinned sinking into a fighting stance. "You're going to have to get him over my dead body!"

Edelgard narrowed her eyes and held up her hand, flames erupting across the gloved surface before separating into multiple smaller fireballs. They found their home in the several torches hanging on the walls and illuminated the tower in a warm orange glow. "Right then," she said coldly, flicking stray strands of hair over her shoulder before twirling her axe. "Have it your way."

And then she charged.

Axe and lance met with a clang, and knowing Miklan had a weight advantage, Edelgard wasted no time spinning away and aiming for his arm. The two weapons clanged again, again and again, Edelgard twisting and twirling after every swing before squeezing the hilt of her axe with two hands and forcing all her weight into a final swing aimed for his neck.

Miklan, much to her frustration, simply blocked before sweeping her legs from under her. Edelgard gasped in surprise before bracing her palms against the ground to stop her descent and cartwheel her out of the way of a stab that instead struck the marbled grown below.

Before Miklan could charge Edelgard again however, Hubert had sent Miasma soaring towards the bandit.

Miklan snarled, charging against each violet orb thrown at him before grabbing one from midair and tossing it back at Hubert with a yell.

Hubert's visible eye widened in surprise and he quickly held up a shield that successfully blocked his renegade spell but couldn't stop Miklan's lance—it shattered the barrier with ease.

Luckily for him, a giant orb of bright, glittering translucent blue light exploded from the ground between the two and sent both flying with a cry of surprise, rescuing Hubert from the deadly blade just in time.

"Sorry!" Mercedes apologized to Edelgard's groaning retainer, unaware of Miklan jumping right back to his feet and charging at her.

"Mercie!" Annette cried, creating a slicing motion with her hand and sending out a swiftly speeding flat blue circle of Wind.

Mercedes gasped and spun to defend herself but was too slow; Miklan grabbed her by the front and flung her in the Wind spell's path with a laugh.

"No!" Annette yelled in panic as Wind sliced into her friend and sent her tumbling to the ground with a cry of pain and a deep slide wound on her back.

Jeritza's eyes flashed in rage behind the mask and he left his position beside the other students to unsheathe his sword and dash forward with terrific speed.

"You will die for that," he threatened with a growl, electricity crackling around his blade. He then pointed it forwards with a war cry and sent the bolt flying at Miklan's heart.

The spell hit home, sending Miklan to his knees with a mere growl of annoyance before he lunged forwards off the ground and swung.

Jeritza jumped over him nimbly and spun to stab Miklan in the neck. The bandit grunted as the blade plunged into the thick flesh before spinning around and attempting to stab Jeritza in the abdomen.

Jeritza's eyes narrowed as he jumped back out of the way blocking blow after blow from the eldritch blade.

"What the _fuck!"_ Caspar exclaimed. "That guy has a deep neck wound and he's _still_ going! What the hell is happening here?!"

"Is he a zombie?" Ashe asked in similar bafflement. "Professor Jeritza's attack should have been fatal!"

"The Lance of Ruin," Ingrid said in a foreboding tone, green eyes narrowed on the blurred sight of the rapidly swinging blade. "It must be."

"You're sure?" Dorothea asked her with a frown.

"I don't see any other explanation—unless there's a spell he's using?"

"Magic does not grant immortality," Hubert responded with a narrowed eye. "It would seem Galatea is correct."

"But as far as I'm aware, Hero's Relics don't either," Manuela said with crossed arms. "Nemesis bore the Sword of the Creator if my memory serves me right—and he's dead and gone."

Edelgard frowned in contemplation at that, watching the swiftly moving figures of Jeritza and Miklan. Perhaps Hero's Relics affected the Crestless differently but...why would it make them stronger?

"I'll blast him while he's distracted," Annette said angrily, holding Mercedes as she healed herself and glaring at the red head. "Maybe I can take him down then!"

"That does not sound available," Petra warned. "They are moving too swiftly."

"Maybe we can save Dimitri while he's distracted instead," Mercedes suggested, now healed and pushing herself to her feet with the help Annette.

Edelgard glanced at the limp body, above the battle and nodded slowly. "I can warp you and Professor Manuela to him and you two can heal him."

"Not possible," Sylvain informed Edelgard, catching her attention. "This place doesn't allow people to just Warp in and out just like that."

"So you would have to run passed and hope he doesn't notice?" Ashe asked with an anxiously furrowed brow.

"We will cause a distraction," Ferdinand promised, lifting his lance. "Take his attention away from you."

Edelgard nodded in agreement as Ferdinand turned to the other students. "Alright, everyone else with me—if we get close to him we can garner his atten—"

"I'm not taking orders form _you,"_ Felix sneered before charging forwards.

"Here, here," Dorothea chirped before speeding after him, followed by a war crying Caspar and Hubert with magic dancing at his fingertips.

"Wait! Hold on! _Everyone!"_ Ferdinand cried before groaning with slumped shoulders and gesturing to Petra, Sylvain, Ingrid Annette, Dedue, and Ashe to follow as he charged forwards.

"Alright," Edelgard told Manuela and Mercedes. "Go."

The three dashed forwards, keeping a wide breadth between them and Miklan who was now gleefully attacking her peers. She couldn't stop the lingering worry pumping through her veins as she glanced at them every few moments.

"You slow down if you look back, sweetie," Manuela told her, effectively spurring Edelgard to look forwards and concentrate on her current goal, getting to the prince.

"Oh Goddess..." Mercedes breathed in horror as the three ascended the staircase and found the piles of other bodies along the ground leading up to a room. But before that empty room and beyond the bodies lay Dimitri.

Edelgard swiftly ran over to him and fell to her knees, rolling him over and looking up at Manuela worriedly. "Professor..."

Manuela and Mercedes knelt as well, Manuela placing two fingers on Dimitri's neck and saying, "He's alive—but we have to hurry. I'll heal his awful arm wound, Mercedes you deal with that one on the leg and Edelgard, heal his pretty face, yes?"

Edelgard nodded in understanding and got to work, cutting his binding with her dagger before placing Dimitri's head atop her thighs and her hands on either side of his head.

She wasn't exactly good at faith magic...but she hoped what little she could do was enough.

**-o0o-**

Dimitri awakened to the sensation of energy pooling into his bloodstream. He groaned, eyelids fluttering and vision blurred momentarily before two familiar faces appeared above him.

"Dimitri!" Mercedes said happily, moving her hands from the crude bandage at his leg while Manuela healed his arm.

"Mer...cedes? Professor Manuela?" He croaked. There was another pair of hands gently cradling his head, and underneath his neck he could feel something beneath him that certainly wasn't the cold floor of Conrad Tower.

Looking up, he could see Edelgard, her brows furrowed and lips pressed in concentration as light poured from her hands. He then realized the surface his head was on were Edelgard's thighs.

His breath caught and he was luckily spared the shameless act of having his brain vividly detailing the way they felt when he heard Miklan exclaim, "Going to have to try a little harder than that, kids!"

Oh Goddess.

"You shouldn't have come," Dimitri said quietly, looking away and staring down at the Lions and Eagles fighting with fear shuddering his bones. "He'll kill you."

"I'd like to see him try," Manuela laughed, giving his now healed arm a pat. "Ask Dorothea what happened to men like him!"

Dimitri furrowed his brow and shook his head as he pressed his quivering palms against the ground and sat upright. "You didn't see him as he massacred an entire tower filled with men."

"We saw him survive a neck wound," Edelgard said darkly. "I do believe that shows something of his formidability—we know he's dangerous, Dimitri."

"Then...then why did you come?" Dimitri whispered hoarsely, squeezing his eyes shut. "Why would you—?"

"Because we wanted to save you, Dimitri," Mercedes said, as if it were obvious. Dimitri opened his eyes and looked bewilderedly into the kind girl's eyes as she smiled at him. "Don't feel guilty, you don't need to."

"I—"

"Dimitri," Edelgard said, holding out her hand for him and staring him seriously in the eyes. "We spoke of this. Enough. Come, let's take down Miklan."

Dimitri was about to protest when she said, "Don't try the martyr routine again—I won't let you."

Just like Miklan, Edelgard was insatiable too.

He smiled.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Mercedes asked worriedly.

"I agree, Dimitri should lay down for awhile—"

"No," Dimitri said, squeezing Edelgard's hand tightly and allowing her to help him up. Once standing, he turned downwards to the raging battle below and clenched his fists. "I'll fight."

Miklan would pay.

**-o0o-**

Miklan didn't know why they kept trying.

He couldn't feel a single blow no matter how fatal, anytime he was knocked down he would get back up again without fail, and the more they kept fighting the more excited he was getting.

This was so much _fun._

"Pathetic!" Miklan laughed as he stared at all his fallen rivals. They were panting for breath, bruised, or bleeding—except for that weird mask guy but whatever.

"Look, how about you all just surrender and—" Miklan paused, noticing something missing from the crowd of losers.

...where was the princess?

His thoughts couldn't be answered before a war cry echoed throughout the large room. Miklan turned just in time to have Dimitri ram him in the face with a Crest powered elbow.

The two tumbled to the ground, Dimitri momentarily above him before Miklan threw him off and slammed him to the ground with by the throat.

"Aw, trying to fight back, Dima?" Miklan spat as Dimitri gasped for air. "Well I'll tell you—"

Dimitri kicked him hard with both legs in the chest and sent him flying backwards, the impact releasing his grip on The Lance of Ruin and causing it to clatter out of reach.

Instant panic erupted within his system as he scrambled to his feet and ran towards it, eyes widening as he saw the princess running towards it as well.

With a roar, Miklan threw himself forwards and wrapped his fingers around his beloved weapon, feeling that sweet electric jolt rock through his system.

"Ha!" Miklan said triumphantly as he stood slowly and grinned wildly. Edelgard narrowed her eyes and stepped back as he said "Ready for round two? Just you watch, I'll kill you, I'll kill _every last one of you!"_

Sylvain gritted his teeth, he was sporting a cut on his cheek and a gash on his side but he was still standing.

"You're not going to stop be, Sylvain. Even with your precious Crest," Miklan continued.

"'Precious Crest?' You really think—you know what? Of _course_ you do!" Sylvain spat. "You don't know _anything_ about me because you're too busy hating me for things I didn't cause!"

"Don't play that card with me again, Sylvain," Miklan snarled, pointing the lance at his neck and stepping forwards. "You're very birth is the reason I'm like this!"

"Enough," Dimitri said sharply, stepping forwards with narrowed eyes. "I won't have you insult Sylvain any longer—not when you're threatening the lives of innocents."

"You missed my speech from before, Dimitri," Miklan said, advancing yet again and watching as the lance's light burned brighter than ever before. "But I'll cut it down to size for your small brain to grasp on to. There _are_ no innocents in Fódlan. Anyone who says they're innocent is _liar."_

Dimitri's expression shifted then to one Miklan couldn't decipher before the bandit smirked. "Anyways, say your last words because—"

The Lance of Ruin shuddered violently in Miklan's hand and his eyes turned from the group before him to the weapon's blade.

It twisted and twitched, rattling so hard it felt as if it was trying to jump off the handle. Miklan frowned in confusion, standing the weapon upright to squint at it properly. "What's going on with you, Lancey?" He demanded.

The Crest Stone spat a thick glob of...something into his face and Miklan yelled out in surprise, staggering backwards.

He lifted a palm to his face and gripped the glob, trying to pry it off only for the gunk to get stuck on his palm as well...and then it began to grow.

**-o0o-**

Dimitri gasped as the dark goo began tangled around the bandit's body like poisonous crawling ivy.

Miklan's eyes widened as he staggered backwards and tried to remove the goo and let go of the weapon to no avail. The burning energy illuminated the tower and caused the ground beneath his feet to crack and crumble, dust particles exploding into the air.

The students all took several steps back, a horrified Dimitri turning to his peers and finding similar looks of horror on all of them—except for Edelgard who was pointedly looking away with a furrowed brow.

She had said that some of her siblings had turned into beasts. Was this...?

Miklan screamed and fell to his knees as the tendrils began to cover him like a rippling tar cocoon.

"No! No _**help me—!"**_ Miklan let out a terrifying wail for respite before the substance covered him fully and cut him off abruptly.

There was a beat of silence before a long muscled claw sprouted from it, splattering the acidic like goop towards the terrified spectators.

 _'Oh Goddess...'_ Dimitri thought in terror as limbs continued to explode from the cocoon until finally, a towering Demonic Beast stood before them.

Annette was the first to break the silence with a panicked shriek. The second was the Beast itself who roared so loudly that the walls shook.

"What happened?" Mercedes cried in horror.

"Did Miklan just transform?!" The blue haired Black Eagle boy exclaimed.

"Alright, kids," Manuela said hesitantly, slowly backing away and pushing the students nearest her back as well. "I think—I think we need to go now."

"No, he has the Lance of Ruin," Edelgard said, swallowing thickly and staring the beast dead in the eye.

"So? Edie, did you _see_ what that thing did to him?!" Dorothea demanded. "Why would you want that?"

"If we don't defeat that monster someone else surely will. Do you truly want to take a chance that another power hungry bandit like Miklan will get their hands on that weapon?" Edelgard argued, reading her axe.

Dimitri nodded slowly. "I agree with Edelgard. We take it down, here and now."

"Easier said than done," a voice commented. Turning, the group were greeted with the sight of two Black Eagles—one pulling his violet haired companion by the sweater front as she dragged her feet and whimpered.

"Aye, Lindhart, Bernadetta! You came back!" the blue haired boy said with a grin.

"Don't make a hero out of me, Caspar. I'm only here because that stupid thing ruined my nap—and I figured you all needed somebody to drag your corpses out, that's all," the boy names Lindhart said with a shrug.

Dimitri blinked slowly at him and frowned slightly, "You're...not very optimistic, are you?"

Lindhart turned his nonchalant gaze towards Dimitri. "How very astute of you, Your Highness. Would you like a cookie or a medal?"

Felix snorted as Dedue warned, "Do not mock His Highness."

"Uh, guys? Can we worry about the monster in the room?" Annette asked nervously as the Demonic Beast slammed its claws into the earth and charged forwards.

The students and the two Professors quickly jumped out of the way, Manuela sending three Wind spells in rapid succession at its pumping legs, only for them to bounce against a sudden golden barrier and dissipate harmlessly.

"Bernadetta!" Caspar yelled, dashing forward towards the panicked and frozen archer and shoving her to the ground just as the Beast stormed by.

He skidded, sending bricks flying into the air before flicking his thick tail towards the remaining students.

Dimitri broke off, running towards the tale and slamming his palms against it to halt its movement, boots sliding against the crumbling brick and stone. "Quick!" He yelled over his shoulder. "Run!"

The students complied as the muscles within the tail twitched beneath the leathery skin and pushed harder against Dimitri's might, the prince grunting and calling upon his Crest for extra aide as the last few people ran out of the tails reach.

With everyone else safe, Dimitri vaulted over the tail and watched as the large muscle crashed into the wall his peers had once been, causing cracks to spread up towards the ceiling.

Caspar attempted to charge the monster with war cry and a swing of his axe, but like Manuela's spells, his weapon bounced off harmlessly and sent Caspar teetering off balance.

"That won't work," Edelgard told him. "Like most Demonic Beasts this one has a barrier."

"And? How do we destroy it?" Felix demanded as the Beast turned its eyes towards the group and began to turn around.

"The eyes," Lindhart responded, pointing upwards. "That's the weakest point in the barrier." We injure it there enough and it will come apart."

"Ashe," Dimitri said, turning to the archer. "Can you do it?"

Ashe nodded confidently and nocked an arrow into his bow before letting it fly. The arrow pinged off the Beast's crimson eye and clattered to the ground, causing the monster to roar in rage.

"What?" Ashe cried. "But—!"

The Demonic Beast charged again and the students scattered once more while gritting his teeth, Ashe let another arrow loose. Just like last time, it pinged off the eye, but this time the beast retaliated by bringing up a claw and swiping at him.

"Ashe!" Dimitri cried as Ingrid narrowed her eyes and squeezed her lance Crest of Daphnel burning bright green on the back of her hand as she swung with a war cry. A thin green line of light unfurled like a whip and slashed across the monster's face.

While still frustratingly unharmed, the attack momentarily blinded the Demonic Beast and allowed Ashe to run out of the way.

"It would seem your theory is flawed," Jeritza told Lindhart simply.

"Yes, what was that about the eyes being the weak point?" Hubert sneered and Lindhart glared back. "I'm sorry, but my information comes from books, it's not my fault that the one I _happened_ to read had an unreliable author!"

"Perhaps we simply need a stronger weapon," Ferdinand suggested. "Or a combined attack?"

"Well I only brought iron weapons," Manuela said apologetically with a sigh. "And Ingrid basically proved that magic is a no show either."

"There...is a silver weapon here," Dimitri corrected, turning to Edelgard. "Edelgard, your dagger."

Edelgard blinked in surprise, and turned to the weapon at her hip. "Truly?"

Dimitri nodded and Dedue questioned, "How will she be able to throw it from down here?"

"We get her _up!"_ Annette said, pointing at the upper level. "She can jump from there like Miklan did and—"

The Demonic Beast roared and tug up a part of the floor, throwing it at the group. They all parted once more, but the chunk of stone dirt and bricks manages to crash into the upper staircase and destroy it completely.

"Aaaand there goes the stairs," Caspar said dejectedly.

"She can still get up there," Dimitri said firmly, turning to Edelgard once more and saying, "If I gave you a leg up—"

"Paired with our Crests it should work," Edelgard confirmed with a nod. When The Demonic Beast charged forwards once more, Hubert held up a barrier this time, the monster crashing into it and roaring in frustration.

"Make haste," Hubert warned as the two backed away from one another, Dimitri took a deep breath and crouched, cupping his hands together as Edelgard sank into a runners' lunge.

Then with the bright flash of her Crest, she charged forward, hair billowing behind her and eyes narrowed in determination. Dimitri called on his Crest as well, and as soon as she jumped into his palms on the balls of her feet, he stood sharply and pushed her into the air with a grunt of exertion.

Dimitri and the others sans Hubert looked up as she shot through the air like a silver and black comet. Far above the third level, gravity pulled her back down and she rolled to break her fall before immediately running across the platform and unsheathing her dagger all at once.

"Woo! Go Edelgard!" Dorothea cheered with two pumped fists just as the Demonic Beast curled its back and shot multiple stone spikes from its back.

One was all it took to finally shatter Hubert's barrier and he and everyone else ducked as the deadly projectiles flew overhead.

They found their home in the foundation of the floor behind them, creating cracks until a final one caused it all to tumble down.

A gigantic chunk of the top floor fell towards the group and Dimitri's heart stuttered, eyes wide and throat tightened before Annette cast a giant Wind spell that held the chunk up and slowed its descent.

The girl gritted her teeth, arms shaking with exertion before with narrowed and concentrated eyes, Dorothea shot two handfuls of lightning at the dangerous rubble, exploding it to dust.

The Beats roared and shook his head as the others coughed and rubbed their eyes. Ridding his face of the rubble dust he looked up and cried a panicked, "Edelgard!"

A moment later, she dove out the settling dust, dagger brandished and her body arched downwards. The Demonic Beast looked up, grave mistake for him, for this gave Edelgard the perfect opportunity to land on his snout and plunge her dagger deep within his eye.

And then finally, finally, he let out a roar of pain, eldritch blood leaking from the wound as Edelgard leapt off towards ground and landed in a crouch.

The yellow barrier appeared, shuttered, and shattered.

"All right!" Caspar cheered as The Demonic Beast shook his head angrily before opening its jaw and shooting multiple fire balls from his mouth.

Dimitri gasped, too slow to dodge the flames that slammed into his chest and sent him crashing into the rubble, along with several of the others.

Grunting and pushing himself to sit up, Dimitri saw one of the Black Eagles—the Brigid girl—nimbly darting between the rapidly approaching fireballs. Growling, the Beast fired a spike from his back at her and Dimitri watched in awe as she leapt atop it, jumped off and plunged her sword into the roof of the Beast's mouth.

The girl back flipped back to the ground as the Beast shrieked and shook his head again, attempting to bite down and bend the metal keeping its jaws separated.

"Now, while it is confused," the girl said. "It will in eventual realize it can still fire."

"That was amazing, Petra!" Ashe gushed in awe and the girl smiled at him over her shoulder.

"Mages, together!" Manuela said before she, Hubert, Annette, Jeritza, Dorothea, Mercedes and Lindhart fired in unison.

Multiple blasts sent the Beast stumbling backwards as it roared in distress, causing the wall behind it to crack and crumble while the ceiling shuttered.

"Keep it blind," Edelgard told the two archers. Ashe nodded firmly and Bernadetta hesitated before following along. Once in range, Bernadetta fired in arrow in the bleeding eye while the other was taken out by Ashe's arrow.

"Alright then," Ingrid said, pointing her lance forwards. "Our turn!" She, Sylvain, Felix, Ferdinand, Caspar, Dedue and Edelgard charged forwards.

Dimitri and Petra lingered behind watching anxiously as the other moved in.

With a loud war cry—that Dimitri was beginning to think was a stable for him—Caspar swung his axe and tore to bone, spurring blood to gush forth and shove him back with a yelp of surprise. The Beast leaned away from that leg and put more pressure on the other three. This action did not stop Edelgard and Dedue from similarly damaging two other legs with their own axes, Edelgard leapt out of the way from the onslaught of blood and Dedue simply stood his ground, bringing his axe to the side and chopping again.

The Beast teetered on his final leg, but that too gave way as Ferdinand triumphantly cried, "Taste the sting of Ferdinand von Aieger!" Plunging his weapon deep into the monsters leg while Ingrid stabbed it from the other side.

He finally collapsed to the ground in its own blood, groaning pitifully as Felix plunged his sword between his eyes, and Sylvain jumped atop his back, hesitating for a brief moment before plunging his lance through the heart with a roar.

At last, the Beast slumped and moments later exploded in a myriad of shadows in red and black.

Everyone crowded around the phenomenon curiously as the shadows twisted and dove downwards, returning to The Crest Stone of Gautier where the lance now lay in the monsters wake.

Slowly, Sylvain knelt to pick up The Lance of Ruin, gaze falling to corpse of his brother. He rested in the blood of the Beast, brown eyes dull and devoid of that rage filled fire it had held not too long ago.

"Miklan..." Sylvain said quietly, looking at him with what could only be sheer anguish. His shoulders shook and he breathed in deeply, Ingrid immediately coming to his side to hug him to her chest and rest a cheek on his head. Dimitri rubbed his back soothingly and Felix squeezed a shoulder firmly.

Then, the unmistakable sounds of his sobs echoed as he hugged Ingrid back with one quaking arm.

Dimitri looked back at Miklan's corpse, feeling a mixture of relief, resentment and pity.

But most particularly, dread...and sad acceptance.

**-o0o-**

In hindsight, Edelgard, Hubert, Lindhart, and Jeritza using their combined magic to warp into the Garreg Mach courtyard was a terrible idea.

As soon as their dazed and bloody group appeared in the very public courtyard that evening, the knights were immediately alerted.

Edelgard supposed she expected to be found out anyway—she just wished she'd had more time to prepare, because right now she was filthy, and tired, and all she wanted was a bath, a cupcake, and a mattress.

But no, Rhea did not wait for anyone—especially when she was angry.

"How _dare_ you," she hissed at the group crowded within the Audience Chamber, her serene face tightened with rage. Beside her, Seteth stood with an equal scowl of displeasure.

"Please, Archbishop," Dimitri said, stepping forwards with a quick bow. "Don't be angry with them. Had it not been for the Lions and the Eagles there's no telling what Miklan would have done with me."

"We are of course pleased that you have returned to us safely, Prince Dimitri," Seteth said. "However that does not excuse the fact that your peers and professors have broken direct orders."

"What do you all have to say for yourselves?" Rhea asked coldly.

"You are correct," Edelgard spoke up, stepping forwards as well, drawing the room's attention to her. "We broke your rules, and I'm not sorry."

Rhea's eyes flashed as Edelgard plowed forwards, "As Dimitri said, had we stayed within your boundaries his life could have been forfeit And what then? What would you tell Faerghus? And how would they take the news that their beloved prince had lost his life because The Church turned the other way?"

Rhea narrowed her eyes and Seteth crossed his arms, contemplation in his eyes.

"Not only have we saved Dimitri, we saved you from an irredeemable smear on your reputation. If your inaction had caused the abrupt end of their prince's life, they would surely draw away from you," Edelgard continued, knowing she was touching on that ego Rhea and her kind must have with their puppeteering and manipulation. "Yes, we broke your rules but not harm came from it, as opposed to the alternative."

Silence reigned before Rhea closed her eyes and sighed. "Your...points are valid, Edelgard I will confess. Perhaps it was a mistake on my part to lay in wait. However rules are not made to be broken, and without consequence they become useless."

Bernadetta squeaked. "Oh no! We're going to be beheaded!"

"Absolutely not! Don't be absurd, Bernadetta," Seteth frowned. "Instead tomorrow, all of you—barring the prince of course, will take part in a Monastery wide clean up. The floors, the windows, the stables, the gardens, the lawn, the walls— _everywhere_ without aid of spells or other knights or faculty.

"As for you two," Seteth said, turning to Manuela and Jeritza standing off to the side. "We will speak with you in private about your transgressions."

Rhea bowed before the students and said, "Your are dismissed, may the Goddess be with you."

Everyone left grumbling and groaning.

"Oh dear," Mercedes said sadly. "Looks like we're in a pickle now..."

"It isn't fair!" Caspar snapped. "All we did is save Edelgard and Dimitri, and kill a lunatic! What's wrong with that?"

"I am so, so, sorry, everyone," Dimitri said regretfully as he sighed and shook his head. "I—"

"Dimitri," Edelgard said firmly, pleased when he clamped his mouth shut before saying, "I'll help you all."

"You should rest, Your Highness," Dedue said. "You have been through much."

"Tonight will be all the rest I need," Dimitri insisted with a smile.

"Truly admirable," Ferdinand said earnestly. "All nobles should strive to be like you, Prince Dimitri."

Dimitri blushed at the praise, not saying anything to construct the compliment, a simple act that made Edelgard smile despite the unfair situation.

**-o0o-**

Of course he couldn't sleep.

Of course he couldn't get thoughts of Miklan's burnt face and taunting laughter out of his thoughts.

Dimitri had changed and left his room, set on training into exhaustion like he frequently did when he saw a familiar figure walking off in the distance.

And it was how he now found himself out on the balcony in front of the Dining Hall, watching Edelgard stare of into the distance.

"I suppose it's only natural you couldn't sleep as well," she said quietly, not turning around as he stepped closer.

Dimitri silently stood beside her, leaning against the stone banister and staring up at the stars with a soft chuckle. "I...suppose I truly am predictable."

"That better not have been self depreciation," Edelgard responded with a sideways glance and quirked eyebrow.

"Sor—"

"Dimitri."

"S—oh, Goddess," he sighed, his annoyance with himself elevating slightly when he heard Edelgard let out an amused breath.

"Baby steps, yes? Aim for the stars for now," Edelgard said, smiling at him. Dimitri returned it, a sudden idea coming to him.

"I want to show you something," Dimitri said, gesturing with his head towards the steps and walking down. Edelgard eyed him curiously but followed as he lead her towards the gazebo.

"What are you planning?" Edelgard asked, as Dimitri stopped by a nearby tree and patted its trunk with a smile. Yes, this was tall enough.

Grabbing the lowest bough, Dimitri heaved himself up with ease and straddled the trunk, holding out his hand for Edelgard to take hold of.

"You've taken me here for a midnight tree climb?" She asked with a confused frown.

"Not quite," Dimitri assured her, and after another moment of hesitation she took his hand and allowed him to pull her onto the breach next to him.

"Alright, just a little higher," Dimitri said, climbing up with aid of other boughs and branches until his head and emerged from the canopy of leaves and had eased his way onto a high jutting bough.

He looked down to help Edelgard once more but she had already climbed up herself, picking leaves from her hair and sitting next to him.

"That night...when you shared your pain with me," Dimitri began, noticing Edelgard tense and quickly continuing on. "You told me you hadn't seen the sky much and I know...I know this isn't the first time you couldn't sleep."

He glanced at Edelgard and tilted his head towards the sky. "Does this, being so close to the stars and the moon make you feel better? Does it remind you that you're safe now?"

Edelgard looked up at him with realization in her eyes, before turning to the sky as well, a delicate smile spreading across her lips.

Dimitri watched her, those pastel eyes bathed in shimmering in starlight, those billowing strand of winter hair illuminated by the moon, those lips...a pretty petal colour parted slightly in wonder.

"Spring," Dimitri said quietly.

Edelgard blinked out of her revere to glance at him. "Pardon?"

"You asked me what my favourite season was yesterday. Spring. The colours are soft and watching snow slip away from the trees is quite a sight," Dimitri said.

Edelgard's face slowly became that mask of contemplation he'd come to know and for a moment, Dimitri was worried she'd notice him staring until she said, "Speaking of yesterday—and forgive me for being this up but I've been meaning to ask you; when you looked at Miklan's corpse you seemed...sad."

Dimitri's smile became forced. "Ah. Well I—I suppose I understood him." He breathed in deep and leaned back against the trunk. "He was right."

Edelgard frowned. "Explain."

"'There are no innocents in Fódlan', I realized—he was right, I'm—nobody is innocent. Who am I to pretend that I'm any better than he? Angrily pursuing a goal based on resentment and vengeance, not caring who gets hurt...is that not what I am too?"

There was a pause before Edelgard spoke once more. "No. We spoke of this before, haven't we? You're not a monster, Dimitri."

"But when I find him—The Flame Emperor, I know, I _know_ I'd do anything to kill him, anything. No matter what innocent stood in the way. Perhaps I'm not a monster now but...I believe I've come to terms with the fact that I will be. And I'm going to bask in my humanity for now but until then..." Dimitri took Edelgard's hands in his and stared deep into her eyes. Her face had become completely guarded once more as he said, "I want you to promise me something, Edelgard."

She hesitated, then nodded. "Of course."

"When I became a monster...I want you to kill me," he said.

Edelgard stared into his eyes, then down at their clasped hands and looked back up at Dimitri with a slow nod.

"I promise," she whispered.

He could've sworn he heard regret in that voice.

**-o0o-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Look at me posting the next chapter *checks calendar* 5 weeks after I promised it! Whaaaat? Go Me! Give them nothing!
> 
> Jokes aside, the world has become fairly more dangerous these days, so I urge all of my readers to stay safe! I also have BLM petitions in bio you can sign if you'd like.
> 
> Anyway, sorry for the delay. I'll TRY to be more consistent with updates!
> 
> Also, no, I'm not doing the kidnapped Flayn plot because two arcs like that in a row is...no. So next chapter is a little dip into uncharted territory before we get back on track!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	17. The Role of the Expendables

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Ello! Long time no speak, aye guys?
> 
> Anyways, here is a brand new chapter to feast on! Some Dimigard angst, a bit of fluff coming from the side characters, and of course, unraveling secrets!
> 
> Now, finally, after your patience, here is the next chapter! Enjoy!

Edelgard stared at the flickering candle on her vanity table as she lay on her side. Her body was weary from fighting insane bandits and battling monstrous beasts, but her mind kept replaying her conversation with Dimitri and thus refused to let her sleep.

How could she tell him the full truth now? Would he listen to her if she tried to explain or would he try killing her like he was certain he would. She _was_ The Flame Emperor after all—an entity he had sworn to kill at the price of his very own humanity.

Could she make him stay?

No, better question; why did she _want_ him to stay?

She furrowed her brow and rolled onto her back, watching the dancing shadows caused by the candlelight as she mulled over that question for the thousandth time that night. Was it past emotions from the alleged history they had? Was it how he'd comforted her after she shared her past? The other conversations leading up to those moments?

All of the above?

The candlelight dissipated immediately and left her in darkness, followed by the sound of an impish giggle.

Edelgard gasped softly as her weary muscles immediately tensed in alert, hairs rising over her skin as she snatched her dagger from under her pillow and sharply twisting to the side. Her dagger went soaring through the darkness, but instead of the sound of the silver blade slicing through flesh, there was the sound of more laughter and the creaking of a chair.

"You're _really_ off your game, Edel," a voice mocked as she stepped from the darkness, twirling Edegard's blade as she stalked forwards.

Edelgard narrowed her eyes and snarled, "Kronya."

Konya's smirk broadened as she slowly slid her tongue up the length of Edelgard's dagger, causing the princess to recoil in disgust. "Long time no see, Edelgard," she said against the blade before pulling it back from her mouth and tossing it.

Edelgard tensed as it sliced cleanly across her cheek and stabbed the wooden wall behind her.

"How long's it been?" Kronya continued, plopping onto the bed and causing the mattress to bounce and then sink under her weight.

"Not long enough," Edelgard responded coldly. "What do you want from me?"

Kronya crossed her legs and leaned back on her palms before asking, "Enjoy your lil' adventure by the way?" and completely ignoring Edelgard's sharp inquiry.

"So I suppose you're aware of Miklan trying to kill Dimitri?" Edelgard questioned, apprising Kronya with narrowed eyes.

" _Yuuup!_ Thales is pretty pissed and we're all betting Solon will either be dead soon or excommunicated—what do you think? My money's on 'dead!'"

"You didn't come here to make bets with me, Kronya," Edelgard snapped. "Tell me what you want so you can leave my presence."

Kronya placed a hand on her heart and gasped in false horror. " _Whoa!_ You haven't seen me in months and _this_ is my welcome back? That's _cold,_ Edel. Even for you!"

Edelgard narrowed her eyes further and Kronya rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Yeesh fine! Thales says he's getting bored of you dicking around saving princes from proverbial dragon guarded towers instead of doing important things like...oh, I dunno...finding the Crest Stone of Flames?"

"Arundel needs him," Edelgard said firmly. "Saving Dimitri from Miklan and correcting Tomas's foolish act of insubordination _was_ important."

"You know damn well we would've handled it, Edel," Kronya said with a scoff.

And trust them to keep their claws off him? Trust them not to strap him to a table and torutre him or some other manner of evil? No. There was no way in any realm she would permit that.

Kronya leaned towards Edelgard, a sly smile reappearing on her lips and as if reading her mind uttered, "But you don't trust us, do you?"

Edelgard smiled bitterly and said, "I'm assuming that question is rhetorical?"

Kronya giggled and leaned away with a shrug. "No hard feelings! We don't trust you either, and that's why we're kicking your thumb twiddling ass into commission with a little poison!"

Edelgard didn't think it was possible, but her already sprung tight muscles tightened further. "What?" she demanded.

Kronya grinned and tilted her head towards the dagger stuck in the wall. "You saw; I gave your precious stabby toy a little poison kiss."

Edelgard swallowed thickly, pressing a palm against the lightly bleeding stripe across her cheek.

"It's slow acting," Kronya continued. "So it'll take a bit before it fully kills you. A couple of hours should do the trick. And don't bother asking these loser healers for help—ordinary Healing spells and simple potions won't do jack!"

"You...you're bluffing," Edelgard hissed. "You people _need me."_

Kronya snorted. "Get over yourself. A valuable expendable asset is still an expendable asset you know. Besides, you know Thales; he's not a 'what if' kinda guy and he knows you." She winked and stood up with a stretch. "You'll be up for the challenge. Better start cracking, yeah?"

Edelgard looked away, trying to slow her rapidly beating heart and hide the panic that was no doubt consuming her face from Kronya's cruel gaze.

A couple of hours? How could she…? No. She had to do this, she _would_ do this. She couldn't die, not now, not when—

"Oh! And Edel!"

Edelgard turned to find Kronya by the door, hand poised on the knob and head peering at the princess over her shoulder. "Thales told me something else." She turned fully around and smiled brightly. "He warned you not to get too attached."

Edelgard's whole body froze. It was only a split second of pause, a quick intake of breath, an almost unnoticeable widening of her eyes, but Kronya caught it anyway if her broadened smirk said anything.

The princess turned around to fix Kronya with a gaze of steel. "Ask him if that's a threat."

Kronya giggled. "It's from Thales, Edel. You _know_ what it is." And with that she opened the door and stepped out, not leaving and shutting the door until she whisper-shouted, "Goodnight!" before another agitating giggle.

Expendable.

The hand pressing against her cut curled into a tight fist that fell heavily to the bed.

**-o0o-**

"Are you certain of this, Dimitri?" Seteth repeated for the upteenth time as the prince stood in his office. "Certainly you'd much rather rest and regain your strength after the experience you've gone through."

"I am certain, Seteth," Dimitri said with a firm nod. "They saved my life; it's the least I can do to make it up to them."

Seteth steepled his fingers and sighed. "I still don't think this is a good idea...but it seems I can't stop you."

Dimitri smiled and dipped into a polite bow. "Thank you, Seteth. Tell me what I must do and I will do it."

Opening the front of his desk drawer, Seteth took out a sheet of paper and slid it towards Dimitri, forcing Dimitri to step forwards to glance at it properly. "This paper shows where I've assigned the different can choose whichever chore you feel like or whichever group you feel more comfortable with—they've all checked in with me and are all accounted for except for Lindhart and also Edelgard, curiously."

Edelgard? Late? Dimitri frowned and looked up at Seteth. "That isn't like her."

"Indeed. Although I suppose she had quite the ordeal as well yesterday," Seteth said with a slow nod.

"She has," Dimitri agreed swiftly. "Edelgard had reached me first and twice Miklan nearly killed her. I—maybe if you could pardon her—"

"You know I can't do that," Seteth cut him off with a frown as he leaned back in his seat. "Rhea's orders have already been disregarded once; another time—and by her advisor no less—would not bode well for anyone, I assure you."

Dimitri opened his mouth before closing it just as promptly. "Right," he sighed. "I...understand."

"Besides, Edelgard is a strong young woman; I'm certain she'll be fine," Seteth added.

That _was_ like Edelgard too—she was strong, so perhaps this wasn't about her wounds at all and was in fact due to him and they're conversation on the tree?

Dimitri bit his lip and looked away as he pondered that theory in his worrying mind. He'd once more insisted he was a monster—or at least inevitably becoming one. And when he asked her to kill him when the time came she'd said—

" _I promise."_

With those...sad wistful eyes…

But he'd wanted that! Yes, he _needed_ to be put down and he was glad she agreed—but for another saddened part of him that was just it:

Edelgard has agreed he needed to be put down.

It was utterly silly he knew, he'd asked her and she'd accepted. It was as simple as that. But...but at the same time—had she finally believed it too? The one person who had known his true darkness and cared anyway?

"All you have is us," Patricia whispered in Dimitri's ear, causing him to to jump and gasp. "All you must fight for is for _us."_

"Prince Dimitri?" Seteth said, tugging Dimitri out of his thoughts with his name and a concerned furrow of his brow. "Are you quite all right?"

Dimitri blinked and forced a smile. "O-of course."

"You've gone pale," Seteth observed. "And you're sweating—perhaps you should rest after all."

Dimitri quickly shook his head and pressed his shaking palms on either side of the sheet of paper showing the working students. "I-I'll work in the kitchens with Ingrid and the other students there if that's okay."

Seteth gave him one last concerned looking before nodding. "As you wish." As soon as the words left his mouth, the door was knocked before being promptly opened.

Seteth sighed heavily before peering over Dimitri's hunched form to give a disapproving frown to the intruder. "Flayn, you must knock and _wait for an answer_ before entering my office; I've told you this before."

Dimitri stepped out of Seteth's path and turned to find the cheerful girl closing the door behind her and turning around with a parcel in hand. "Sorry, Brother but I just needed to give Dimitri something! Dedue said he'd be here and luckily it seems he was correct."

"And what if I was doing something private and he _wasn't_ here?" Seteth pressed with crossed arms.

"Come now, Brother! What private things would you be doing here? You and Lady Rhea usually converse in the Audience Chamber and all you do here is look at schedules and read letters. What private affairs would you have in here? Intercourse?" Flayn refuted.

Seteth balked and spluttered, "F- _Flayn!"_

Dimitri quickly changed the subject and offered her a bow. "Good morning Flayn," he said as he stood straight once more.

"Hello, Dimitri! I am elated the Goddess returned your safely to us," Flayn said kindly as she handed over the parcel. "I made my fish tacos for you!"

"O-oh Flayn," Seteth said, standing sharply upwards. "May I remind you, Dimitri is—"

"Thank you, Flayn," Dimitri said earnestly as he accepted the gift, and he needn't have turned around to know that Seteth had a look of sheer bewilderment on his face. "I did miss breakfast—this will be a lovely substitute."

Flayn beamed and clasped her hands together. "You're so very welcome!"

"I must be going now," Dimitri said, stepping around the girl and turning around to smile at her one last time. "But I assure…" his voice trailed off, eyes lowering to the ground where he'd left bloody footsteps in his wake.

That...that hasn't been—

And then blood started dripping onto his wrists. Dimitri let out a strangled gasp as he let go of the parcel with one hand and touched his forehead with a hesitant finger.

Blood was on it when he pulled it back.

"Dimitri? Is something the matter?" Flayn asked but Dimitri could hardly hear—how could he when blood was clogging up his ears, his nose, his throat?

He coughed, desperately seeking oxygen as he collapsed to his knees, bloody tears dripping from his eyes and the taste of iron burning his throat.

They were punishing him—they were killing him for disobeying but he couldn't say a word to calm them because he was choking on too much blood and their agonized screens were ringing too hard in his ears.

" _Please!"_ Dimitri managed to desperately choke out as he squeezed his eyes shut to stop the sight of pooling blood. "I'll do it! _I'll do it!"_

A burst of bright white light burned through the darkness of his eyelids and Dimitri's eyes snapped open as a gasp was forced from his body.

There, kneeling before him was Flayn. Her eyes closed and his face cupped tenderly in her ethereally glowing hands.

It felt as if warm hands were caressing his most hidden wounds, rubbing them as gently as a mother applying balm. Dimitri inhaled deeply, feeling the magic warm his very soul and mind and bring attention to the lingering fatigue he hadn't quite slept away yet due to nightmares.

All too soon, Flayn opened her eyes and removed her hands, kind turquoise eyes watching him with concern. "Dimitri. Are you alright now?"

Dimitri looked down from her face to his hands. No blood.

"Flayn, please take Dimitri to rest," Seteth said firmly.

Dimitri looked up and opened his mouth to argue but Seteth held up a silencing hand. "This is not a request."

"Here," Flayn wrapped her arms around Dimitri and aided him onto his weary legs. "Come, let's go to your room."

Seeing as how arguing was futile, Dimitri nodded subduedly and allowed Flayn to lead him out of the office and into the hallway.

"You don't need to help me all the way there," Dimitri said as they rounded the bend towards the upstairs. "I-I can walk now. Truly."

"Just in case," Flayn smiled up at him. But it didn't reach her eyes.

Dimitri swallowed and looked away. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Whatever for?"

"I let—I must've looked positively insane...screaming at them. I terrified you and Seteth."

"You did...but we were terrified _for_ you, not _of_ you," Flayn assured him gently as they reached the stairs and began steadily climbing it.

Dimitri turned back to Flayn, gauging her expression and finding nothing but sincerity in her eyes. He nodded slowly before asking, "That light...the light you used to make the ghosts go away—what was it?"

"My Crest of Cethlahean," Flayn said, nodding and smiling to a curious group of passing by students. "It increases my faith magic exponentially—most notably my healing. That's the spell I use to get rid of nightmares."

"I see...so you get bad dreams often I presume?" Dimitri asked.

"Those are not the nightmares I speak of," Flayn said solemnly. "I speak of people seeing and hearing horrible sights in their waking hours, sights that don't exist."

Dimitri furrowed his brow in confusion as Flayn continued. "I've treated many men and women who had the very ailments you do, Dimitri—mostly soldiers but also survivors of village raids and orphans, all seizing in panic over things that weren't there."

"They _are_ there," Dimitri said sharply. "My family they—they haven't rested in peace yet, I must—I'm not _mad,_ Flayn!"

Flayn looked at him sadly. "I see." It was the same look Edelgard had given him last night; a look of saddened resignation.

When they finally reached the bedroom door and Flayn opened it, the sight of his bed sent fatigue racing through Dimitri's body all over again. "Thank you again," he muttered tiredly through a yawn as he was led to the bed and laid to the rest.

"How do you feel?" Flayn asked.

"My...my head hurts but I'm fine otherwise," Dimitri said, sighing and closing his eyes.

"Rest. And feel better alright?" Flayn said. Dimitri heard her footsteps move across the room, the door open and close, and finally the sound of those steps retreating before he opened his eyes once more.

He couldn't rest. The ghosts had never tried to drown him in blood before, which meant they were getting restless.

Dimitri rolled to his side and sat up, pushing himself off the bed with a weary groan. Flayn and Seteth meant well, certainly. But they didn't understand the gravity of what he needed to do—they couldn't.

And so with a deep breath, Dimitri left his room and purposely strode towards the library.

**-o0o-**

She was running out of time, and the sharp stabbing pains granted to her by the poison wasn't helping in the slightest.

Edelgard stifled another yawn with her palm as she closed yet another worthless book and pushed it aside, opening another.

The Crest of Flames was the most destructive Crest out of all of them, it had the strongest weapon created for it and it was once wielded by Nemesis—that was _all_ the information she was getting out of these blasted books after using up her entire night and now morning blearily reading their contents.

Another pang of pain twisted deep within Edelgard's chest and she gasped in discomfort, clutching at her heart.

Perhaps she could question Lindhart? But no, he would be cleaning right about now, wouldn't he? She didn't know where he was and the longer she spent searching for him throughout the Monastery the higher the chance that Seteth would drag her to start cleaning as well.

And she didn't have _time._

More pain, this time seizing and cramping her arm and Edelgard gritted her teeth, squeezing her aching bicep firmly. Perhaps she had no choice, she wasn't getting anywhere with these obnoxiously vague books.

Slamming the book shut and pushing it in a pile on her bed to return to the library later, Edelgard moved to open the door and was met face to face with a scowling Seteth with his arms crossed.

Edelgard's eyes widened as she took a quick step backwards. "Seteth."

"Edelgard. Please enlighten me on why you felt you were above your punishment?"

"No. It isn't like that I—" Edelgard's words were cut off with a grunt as her muscles seized once more. Her knees buckled and Seteth swiftly lunged forwards to catch her.

"What's the matter? What has happened?" He demanded urgently. But Edelgard just pushed him away.

"Nothing, you can't—I'm merely under the weather. Lindhart, where is he?" Edelgard said, stepping around Rhea's advisor and awaiting his answer as she briskly walked down the hallway.

"Edelgard! Stop this instant!"

If there was anyone other than Rhea and Seteth who knew how to find a Crest Stone it was surely Lindhart, and seeing as how Seteth wasn't about to help out she'd just have to find him on her own.

Edelgard descended the stairs as Seteth continued to follow in hot pursuit, just about to ask the nearest knight of the students' whereabouts when her heel made contact with a puddle.

Frowning, she looked down to find sudsy water pooling around her boots and slicking the marble flooring. Edelgard turned her confused expression to the knight standing guard, and he simply shrugged before pointing towards the cathedral.

"Edelgard!" Seteth barked as he got to the bottom of the stairs. "You _must—!"_ Seteth slipped on the water with a squawk of surprise as Edelgard splashed gingery through the mini lake to the cathedral.

" _Now_ look! Seteth told us no magic _for a reason_ everyone!" Ferdinand cried, throwing up his hands in exasperation. Beside him, the Blue Lions mage, Annette covered her face with her hands in shame as Caspar gingerly rubbed circles on her back. "H-hey it's okay, Annette! I forced you to do it."

"But she ultimately decided to _listen_ to your foolishness, did she not?" Hubert drawled with crossed arms.

"Stop it!" Ashe said. "You're making her cry!"

"Oh, no. Don't cry, Annie! It's okay—" Mercedes began before she was cut off by Seteth exclaiming, " _What_ in the Goddess's name?!"

Edelgard glanced wide eyed at the watery mess surrounding the area. The pews were all destroyed and dripping water and at least a half dozen toppled statues decorated the ground in rubble along with them. Behind that, the glass stained window was destroyed, and a waterfall was trickling out. She then turned to the quaking mage.

 _She_ had done this?

The poison sent a sharp pain through her arm again, successfully spurring Edelgard back into action. "Lindhart," She called, splashing through the ankle deep water towards him and stepping past Seteth who seemed to be in a state of furious shock. "Is Lindhart here?"

"He refused to contribute and decided to waste his time in the library, as per usual," Hubert said sourly.

"Believe me, we _tried_ to tell him," Ferdinand sighed. "Unfortunately he didn't take too kindly to—"

" _How did this happen?!"_ Seteth screeched in horror as he stormed forwards, kicking up waves of water.

"Uh, better run, Edelgard," Caspar advised. Edelgard quickly left the future murder scene and speed walked down the wet hallway towards the library, hearing Seteth's booming angry voice from behind her.

"Lindhart," Edelgard said as she strode into the library purposefully, stumbling with the feeling of another burst of pain. She didn't know how she was going to find that Crest Stone—but perhaps self proclaimed Crest researcher Lindhart would.

The boy did not answer as Edelgard neared the table he was sitting by, his back was turned to her and he was mumbling under his breath about whatever it was that he was reading.

"Lindhart," Edelgard repeated, crossing her arms and standing behind him. He still did not answer, continuing to hum and mutter and flip pages.

Sighing heavily, Edelgard removed one of her gloves and slapped the back of his head with it.

"Ah!" Lindhart exclaimed indignantly as he spun around. "What was that for?"

"I was trying to get your attention," she said cooly as she quickly put her glove back on. "Yet, you insisted on ignoring me, as usual."

Lindhart rolled his eyes and went back to his book. "Did you consider that I simply didn't hear you? Goddess, you're annoying."

Edelgard ignored the slight and instead rounded the table and sat in front of him before saying, "I need your help."

Lindhart glanced up from his book and gave Edelgard a funny look. " _You_ want _my_ help?" he repeated incredulously.

Edelgard nodded in affirmative and said, "That's right I—"

"Nope. Goodbye," Lindhart said as he returned to his book.

Edelgard reigned in her frustration and took in a deep calming breath. "Will you at the very least hear me out?"

Lindhart scoffed and looked up to give Edelgard a glare. "Edelgard, the only times we've ever spoken is when you've nagged at me for my ' _complete negligence,'_ my ' _disrespectful idleness,'_ and...what was it that Hubert liked to say? Oh yes! ' _Disgusting lack of self-awareness!'_ Which, by the way, one, is completely wrong, and two, pot kettle to him. So forgive me if I don't feel particularly motivated to do any favours for you."

Edelgard felt a slight pang of guilt at Lindhart's declaration, before stating, "I...apologize that that is the extent of our interactions, but I'm afraid you're the only one who can help."

Lindhart returned his eyes to the book in his hand and flipped a page before asking, "Yes? Why's that?"

"Because it has something to do with Crests, and with Hanneman gone there isn't anyone else I can think to ask," Edelgard responded, and as she hoped, the boy perked up slightly.

"Crests?"

Edelgard nodded. "That's right. What can you tell me about Crest Stones?"

"Well that's simple," Lindhart said, closing the book he was reading and pushing it aside within the mound of other books. "Crest Stones are what help charge up the Hero's Relics."

"And does it let off any aura?" Edelgard asked. "Any...magical signature that could be tracked with a spell?"

Lindhart tilted his head to the side and frowned, thoughts creasing his forehead before he stated, "Hmm. I'm not sure. Let me see..."

Lindhart turned to his book pile and his hand hovered over it, mouthing the words of titles before finally settling on one with a nod. Edelgard waited patiently as he flipped through the pages before saying, "Well, they do let off an aura but there's nothing here that speaks of tracking them with spells," he said and Edelgard felt her heart sink.

"I mean it's to be expected really—Crest Stones come with the Hero's Relics and they haven't left since they were first created as far as I know," Lindhart said musingly. "There's never been a Hero's Relic without one...why do you need to find a Crest Stone? Unless my research is false, the Royal Family of Hresvelg don't have a Hero's Relic to pass down."

"No," Edelgard agreed. "But I was looking for a particular Relic—one lost to time. This one doesn't have a Stone and I—"

"Wish to use it?" Lindhart asked skeptically. "You do realize that you can't use a Hero's Relic to its full potential unless you share the Crest it was made for, right?"

"I'm not—never mind," Edelgard stood up with a sigh and said, "It seems I'll need a different tactic. Thank you anyway, Lindhart."

"Yup, sure," Lindhart responded, and just like that the air of nonchalance that persistently emanated from him returned full force.

Well, this proved to be a problem. If she couldn't track the stupid thing she'd have to guess its location. Her best bet was the Holy Tomb but she unfortunately had no idea where that was and she highly doubted her chances of getting in anyway, after the Rite of Rebirth shenanigans that left—

"Edelgard,"

Edelgard stopped and looked up to find the voice's source, Dimitri's familiar form atop a library ladder and balancing a stack of books on the crook of his arm.

"Dimitri," she greeted simply as he stepped down and placed the books on a nearby desk. "Faring well, I hope?"

"I am thank you. I just...in light of last night..." he paused and drummed his fingers against his thigh in thought before shaking his head and picking up his book stack.

"What?" Edelgard questioned with a frown as he walked passed.

"It's nothing," he smiled over his shoulder. "I—you're wounded!" His pleasant smile immediately became horrified as he placed the books down once more and walked towards her, tilting her chin up and moving it to the side.

"Oh, that?" Edelgard frowned as Dimitri ran a finger down the thin scar on her cheek. "That's nothing, Dimitri. I got it from our climb last—"

"No. It's too clean and too deep for it to be a scratching branch. I know a blade's cut when I see one," Dimitri said, shaking his head. He then turned to Edelgard, concern and simmering anger brimming in those ice blue eyes. "Who harmed you? Tell me."

Edelgard pulled back out of his grip. "Nobody. It was a training accident—"

"If that was true you wouldn't have lied initially," Dimitri said firmly. "Edelgard...what happened?"

Edelgard opened her mouth to deny his claims once more when the poison sent painful waves slicing through her entire form. She cried out in pain and fell against the nearby bookshelf, squeezing her eyes shut as she waited for the wave to pass.

"Edelgard!" Dimitri said, gripping her shoulders and attempting to help her stand. "What is this? Poison? Edelgard!"

The pain subsided and Edelgard breathed out a sigh of relief, opening up her eyes and gently pushing Dimitri away. "There's nothing you can do, Dimitri."

"Who did this to you? Edelgard, please—"

"Enough!" Edelgard snapped, causing Dimitri to flinch back. "I don't need your help."

"I…" Dimitri reached for her and then stopped, letting his hand fall. "I see," he said quietly as he looked away, seemingly mulling something over in his head. "I see." With a bow, Dimitri stood once more and picked his book stacks up once more.

Edelgard watched him leave, inexplicably asking herself why she didn't just tell him.

"Okay, so it turns out I was wrong," Lindhart said from behind Edelgard's thoughtfully frowning form and she squeaked embarrassingly in surprise before spinning around.

Thankfully, Lindhart seemed too busy reading over a book. He gave the open page a once over before turning it around to show Edelgard. "There have been records of people who hunted down Hero's Relics using rituals, pentagrams and artefacts to try and hunt them down and wield their power and give them a political edge."

Edelgard took the offered book, eyes darting over the diagrams as a smile slowly made its way onto her face. Yes, this was certainly getting her somewhere.

"Thank you, Lindhart," she said sincerely as she memorized the page number and shut the book. "This is helpful."

Lindhart sighed longingly and slumped his shoulders. "Not just helpful, _fascinating._ Unfortunately…" He gestured glumly to the library entrance as Seteth strode in, eyes searching the room. "I'm done for. My freedom is over."

Edelgard tucked the book under her arm and edged her away across the wall in an effort to avoid Seteth as he breezed past her beginning to snap, "Lindhart von Hevring if you don't carry yourself to the cathedral this _very instant…!"_

Would this be enough? If she simply sent this book to Arundel and labeled the page number would he send an antidote and would this mini nightmare _finally_ —

Edelgard cried out as while she was ascending the stairs, another twist of pain sent her to her knees. ' _Almost there,'_ she told herself, picking up her book and struggling to her feet. The pain blurred her vision as she stumbled forward semi-blindly, hands reaching towards any form of purchase.

The noon bell sounded, sending the sound reverberating through her bones and making her body shudder in discomfort.

' _Almost there,'_ she repeated to herself. ' _Almost there. Almost there…'_

Finally, she collapsed against her door, staggering in and slamming the door shut with her back.

The pain subsided once more, giving Edelgard the chance to quickly make her way to the bed and sit with a deep calming breath.

Focus. She just needed to warp the book and—

The book slipped from her grip and fell to the ground with a thud just before Edelgard crumpled to the ground once more.

"No...no I need to..." she breathed before her eyes slipped shut and her head too thudded against the wood.

**-o0o-**

Edelgard needed his help, he knew she did. But she clearly didn't want it. So he should just forget about it, and respect her wishes.

Dimitri re-read the same page he'd been staring at for the longest time now, leg bouncing and eyes darting to his door periodically. But if she was truly in danger, if he was right and somebody had tried to kill her...was killing her now with poison…

He slammed the book shut and stood sharply. He didn't care if Edelgard hated him forever, but if she died he knew he would never forgive himself. Ever.

' _Besides,'_ he told himself as he stood and exited his room and briskly walked down the hallway. ' _When Edelgard respected my wishes the night prior, a part of me hoped she would refuse. What if this was the same thing? What if—?'_

"DIMITRI!" A voice barked from the bottom of the noble dorm steps.

Dimitri jumped and spun around to find Seteth, fingers twisting Lindhart's ear and eyes glaring up at him. "What are you doing out of bed? _Goddess_ what is wrong with you children today?! Why can't you just follow orders!?"

Dimitri winced and swiftly continued on his way. He didn't have anytime to lose if he was going to determine what was going on with Edelgard and help her in time.

"I _will_ come back for you, young man!" Seteth snapped in the distance as Dimitri reached Edelgard's door and knocked it.

"Edelgard? It's me. I-I know you told me you didn't want my help but...I'm worried."

No answer.

Dimitri swallowed nervously. Maybe this was a mistake? Perhaps he should simply…

There was a crash and the sound of laboured breathing, sending panic swimming through his veins.

"Edelgard!" Dimitri threw the door open and found Edelgard slumped over her vanity, forehead pressed against the wood while the stool lay haphazardly on the ground next to an open book.

"Dimitri…" she uttered weakly, as Dimitri closed the door behind him and swiftly knelt beside her. "Edelgard...Edelgard look at me. Please, what's wrong? What's happened?" Gently, he lay her against his chest and thankfully, she complied with the motion and allowed him to appraise her.

Edegard's skin was far paler than usual,the healthy flush gone from her cheeks and her silver hair was plastered to her cheek with sweat. "Hold on, I'll take you to—"

"Nobody can help," she murmured against his shirt. "Only…"

"Only what, Edelgard? Tell me, quickly," Dimitri said, holding her tighter. He couldn't lose her too— _he couldn't._

Edelgard's eyelids fluttered open and she turned to the book. "I need to...Warp it."

Dimitri didn't understand how in Fodlan's name warping a book would help her, but he didn't question her, simply nodded and reached over to retrieve it. "Here. What do you need me to do?"

Edelgard slowly sat up, grasping the book with two hands before taking in a deep breath. Dimitri watched as she shakily flipped through the pages and bent the edge of a particular page. A moment later, the book exploded in a flash of violet light and Edelgard collapsed against his chest once more.

"Now what, Edelgard?" Dimitri murmured urgently. "Tell me what to do next."

"Now...now you leave me," Edelgard said, pushing away from him using the vanity to stand once more. "I should be fine now—"

"No, not that. I won't leave you," Dimitri said firmly. Edelgard tensed, brow furrowing before she turned to him with a frown. "I told you—"

"And I don't believe you," Dimitri responded. "I won't risk you dying, Edelgard you're worth too much to me."

Edelgard's frown became a look of confusion...confusion tinted with, sadness, hope? He couldn't tell. And he didn't get to figure it out because another flash of light brightened the room, and this one brought a figure with it.

"Oh my!" The girl said. She was odd looking—skin pale with a sickly gray undertone, and orange eyes framed with stripes of what appeared to be face paint...and that wasn't counting the peculiar outfit she wore. "Well, well, what's going on here?"

Dimitri narrowed his eyes at her. "Who are you?" he questioned warily. He looked up at Edelgard and found she was no longer looking at him but now standing as she pressed her weight against the vanity wood, gaze locked on the strange girl.

"Well?" Edelgard questioned coldly.

The girl hummed, narrowing her eyes at Dimitri. "What'd you tell him?"

"Nothing. Now, the antidote?"

The girl stared at Dimitri for a long uncomfortable moment before shrugging and holding out her hand, a vial appearing in her palm. "Here you go! Thales says good job, by the way," she said as she dropped the red liquid into Edelgard's waiting palm, spared Dimitri a smirk, and then vanished as quickly as she came.

When she'd dissipated, Edelgard pulled the cork off with her teeth and drank its contents, slumping in relief when she'd finished.

"Edelgard," Dimitri said, standing up and frowning. "Who was she? Who's Thal—"

"Nobody," Edelgard answered abruptly, migrating to the bed and lying down with a sigh. "Don't worry about it."

"She was the one who poisoned you, was she not? Why? What's _going on_ with you, Edelgard?" Dimitri said, sitting beside her and placing a hand on hers.

She pulled it away and looked to the side. "I told you—"

"We're friends now, Edelgard," Dimitri cut her off, and she tensed, but he pushed forwards. "Friends care and look out for one another, and I want to care and look after you—so _please._ Please don't lock me out, I can't help you otherwise."

Edelgard slumped and Dimitri heard her laugh softly. "I understand now," she said softly. "I understand why I want you to walk with me."

Dimitri frowned in confusion. "I don't…" Dimitri's words died on his tongue when he noticed the slow rise and fall of her chest and the full relaxation of her muscles.

He stood up and sighed, making his way towards the door and leaving Edelgard to sleep as thoughts swam through his head.

Corpse like girls blackmailing her with poison? Thales? Would Hubert know of any of this? What—?

At the corner of his eye, Dimitri saw Lambert staring at him from across the hallway, eyes narrowed disapprovingly.

Right now though...he had other duties to attend to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: A small little chapter to feed you guys after the long content famine. Next chapter should be up soon, but you can get it sooner if you become a Patron! *wink, wink* "Fantasy's Writing Shop" is the name ;D
> 
> Anyways, I'll be seeing you next time!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	18. The Fear of Little Girls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Right so I'm going to stop promising early chapters now, lol. Doesn't mean I won't TRY just that I'm not going to keep raising you guys's hopes up, although this time I actually have an excuse in the vein of studying for exams and sleepless nights! So there's that; it wasn't ONLY procrastination this time.
> 
> That aside, in all honesty I SO didn't want to right a retelling of Eagle of Lion; I have angst to write and romantic tensions to TIGHTEN damnit! So I did what I made the chapter not focus on the battle at all, so sorry if that disappoints some of you but I REALLY didn't wanna right another mock battle.
> 
> Anyway, onwards!

Byleth awoke with a heavy unknown pressure weighing down on her chest.

She groaned, frowning at the discomfort and rolling on her stomach to try and lessen the feeling. The only thing it did was put pressure on her back as well.

"Stop making my chest and back feel funny, Sothis," Byleth said into her pillow.

" _It isn't_ me _you fool!"_ She hissed irritably. " _I can't interact with the physical plane; you know this!"_

Byleth rolled into her back and opened her eyes. "I'm probably hungry," she rationalized monotonously at the ceiling.

" _You said your back and chest are hurting, what does that have to do with your stomach?"_

"Dunno. I'm hungry though," Byleth said, sliding off the bed and stretching with a yawn, pausing to press a hand to her chest when the pressure increased.

" _This isn't the slightest bit worrying to you?"_ Sothis demanded. " _This could be a sign of something wrong happening to your body!"_

"If it's not hunger it's probably a sprained muscle. I get those all the time."

" _A strained chest muscle?"_

"A bruise, then."

" _Byleth would you just—"_

"And now my head is hurting," Byleth announced as she began to change. "Because of you, if you didn't get it."

Sothis harrumphed and went silent as Byleth patted her messy hair while crouching before the vanity mirror. She was in the midst of contemplating smoothing down a few strands with her saliva—a thought that put Sothis into a horrified tirade—when the door was knocked.

Byleth looked over her shoulder and called out, "Come in."

The door swung open and a familiar voice chirped, "Morning, Teach!"

"Hi, Claude," Byleth responded, turning to face him properly. "What do you need?"

"Now I know it's pretty early in the day—"

"It is?" Byleth interrupted curiously, stepping around Claude to stare up in the sky. It was dark blue tinted in orange, the sun a slow rising orb behind the Monastery buildings. "Oh. It is."

"...right. So like I was saying!" Claude said, slapping a companionable hand on Byleth's shoulder and grinning. "How about we make a battle plan for today? Y'know, get a head start on Ice Princess and His Princeliness?"

"I'm confused," Byleth admitted. "There's another mock battle?"

"Teach! Don't tell you forgot about The Battle or Eagle and Lion!" Claude exclaimed in abject horror.

"I guess I did," Byleth shrugged. But it wasn't like he could blame her right? The Mock Battle seemed like an all too innocent anomaly in a sea of rebellions, infiltrations, executions and kidnappings.

"But I can help you form a battle plan if we go out for breakfast—my stomach is uncomfortably empty," Byleth continued, stepping fully out of the room and waiting for Claude to follow before she closed the door.

"The kitchens aren't open yet but we can go in town," Claude suggested as the two walked off towards the gates. They'd only walked a few steps before Byleth felt eyes on the back of her neck.

She stopped abruptly, hand falling to the hilt of her sword as she looked over her shoulder with narrowed eyes.

"They have some pretty good...Teach?" Claude had stopped as well, noticing Byleth's sharp gaze scanning the early dawn area.

" _What is it?"_ Sothis demanded urgently.

Byleth didn't answer either of them, turning fully around and looking up at the towering balcony attached to the cathedral.

A shadow stood there, a glowing object in its hand before it darted out of sight.

Byleth tore her sword from its sheath and muttered, "Sothis, stop time."

Thankfully, the mysterious girl didn't waste a moment, perhaps due to the urgentness of Byleth's voice. And within seconds reality had shattered around them and froze everything in place as colours warped strangely from their original hue.

"Did you see that?" Byleth said as she charged towards the Monastery proper, grass and dirt getting kicked into the air before freezing in place. " _I did,"_ Sothis said grimly. " _Who do you think it was?"_

"My guess is an assassin," Byleth said as she skidded to a stop before dashing up the steps and into the building. "It would explain how they could've snuck all the way there without detection."

Once Byleth's heels struck the marble of the Cathedral, time resumed with a blast of eldritch wind and the sound of skittering glass fragments.

Slowing her breathing, Byleth walked slowly into the room, kicking away splintered wood from the pews either stacked haphazardly atop one another, shoved against the wall or sitting lonesomely on its own, and cracking the stained glass littering the ground beneath her heel. All the while her eyes scanned the area for the shadow.

" _They couldn't have gotten far,"_ Sothis said. " _Time stopped immediately—"_

Byleth tensed and whipped around, her sword held up to block against that of a long curved blade and its wielder leaping from above.

She pushed back with a grunt and the perpetrator landed with a crouch and a cat-like grin, scattering glass shards. "Well, well! You sure got here quick!" She giggled. "Did The Crest Stone of Flames give you increased speed I wonder?"

Byleth narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"Don't play dumb, I know you have it!" The girl said, holding up the glowing orb from before. "Now then…" she said, squinting at Byleth's outfit. "I don't see any pockets on you...did you sew it into your clothes?"

"I don't have any idea what you're talking about," Byleth said coolly, raising her blade and sinking into a battle stance. "But I _do_ know you don't belong here."

The girl shrugged and tossed the orb into the air, and moments later it warped out of existence. "Fine, fine. _This_ is a whole lot more fun anyway!"

And with that, the two charged at one another.

Byleth's sword clashed with that of the curved sword, eyes widening when one of the pincer-like tendrils attached to the girl's strange outfit struck at her.

With a grunt, Byleth quickly jumped back atop the edge of a loan pew, kicking it towards her assailant as she backflipped off it. The wood hit the girl and she stumbled back with a cry of surprise while Byleth landed on the balls of her feet and lunged forward with a battle cry, sword tip aimed for her unprotected eye.

The girl smirked and disappeared in a flash of light, spurring Byleth to skid to a stop before swiftly ducking backwards to avoid another pincer as it sliced through the air in an attempt to plunge through her back.

Byleth twisted her body, twirling sideways through the air before landing with a single hand, springing to her feet, and charging forward once more to deliver a heavy downwards slash to the retracting tendril.

"Why! You're a fighter, aren't you?" The girl said with a tilt of her head as the tendril fell limp. "Let's see how well you can dodge _this!_ " The remaining three tails rose like vicious snakes and Byleth waited for them to make their move.

They struck as one and Byleth took a quick deep breath before jumping into action. The first shattered the marble floor as Byleth jumped backwards out of the way, the second sent sparks flying as it jabbed the flat of Byleth's blade before being shoved off course into one of the walls. The last she grabbed, feeling the eldritch material sink into her palm. Byleth's intent was to tug the girl forwards and plunge the sword into her heart, instead the back of her palm flashed a vivid red and showcased a familiar symbol.

It was the symbol Hanneman had shown her, wasn't it? But Byleth had no time to eye it curiously, for within seconds burning flame erupted and swifty travelled down the sharp tendril. It hit the girl dead on and she was thrown back with a pained scream, crashing into a stack of pews.

"Huh," Byleth said, glancing at her backhand as the symbol faded.

" _This is the first time it has activated,"_ Sothis commented.

"I wonder why," Byleth mused, looking up to see the girl explode from the pew stack and land with a shower of splinters raining down on her.

" _You!"_ She screamed, glaring at Byleth and panting. Blisters decorated her grayish skin while her outfit smoked. "I _knew_ you had it! Hand it over _now_ 'cause I'm not in the mood for games anymore!"

"You said you wanted a stone," Byleth said. "I don't have a stone. If it's the Crest you want then I don't think you can have it—they're a blood thing if I remember right."

The girl laughed bitterly. "Fine. Keep lying!" She took out her sword and prepared to charge. "I'll just— _gah!"_ an arrow pierced through the girl's sword arm and caused her to drop the sword in agony.

Byleth blinked twice in confusion before turning to the doorway where Claude stood, twirling another arrow before nocking it in place. "It sounded like you needed some help, Teach!" He said cheerfully, gaze still concentrated on the girl's form and arrow still pointing threateningly.

"Not really, but thanks anyway," Byleth responded as the girl glared at the archer.

"There's no way you heard a thing! There's a sound proof spell on this place!" She spat.

Claude shrugged. "Guess you're a trashy mage, huh?"

The girl gritted her teeth and rounded on him. "Why you— _ack!"_ Claude's arrow buried itself in the girl's leg this time and she fell to her knees.

"Careful! This next one's going in your heart, Corpse Girl," Claude threatened, still as chirpy as ever while he nocked another arrow.

The girl snarled before warping out of existence in a burst of light. Within her head, Sothis sighed in relief and Byleth eased the tension from her muscles.

"Yeesh," Claude said as he lowered his bow and placed the arrow back in his quiver. "Who's the freak show?"

Byleth shook her head. "I'm not sure...but she was after me."

"You?" Claude said slowly, giving Byleth a frown. "Why?"

"Dunno. Something about a Crest Stone? She thought I had one but I don't," Byleth shrugged.

Claude hummed in though and crossed his arms as Byleth turned and walked out. "Anyway, we should tell Seteth that someone infiltrated the Monastery—again."

"He'll definitely like hearing _that,"_ Claude said with a laugh as he followed. "But after you do, you still up to fixing those hunger cramps?"

"They're gone now actually," Byleth said. "But I'm still hungry, so, yes."

" _I wonder...what did that strange girl want with a Crest Stone?"_ Sothis mused.

"Who knows?" Byleth responded.

"Who knows what?" Claude asked.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing."

**-o0o-**

Thales.

Dimitri couldn't find such a person during his research last night, and thus had hit a dead end when it came to figuring out what group of people had possession of Edelgard.

But he would figure it out, he _had_ to. They'd poisoned her, what else could they do? If El didn't open up soon what if they did something worse? What if they killed—?

Edelgard's door opened finally and she paused when she saw Dimitri standing there waiting.

"Edelgard…" Dimitri began, the millions of questions that had been swirling around in his head since last night found their way to the tip of his tongue, but before they could leave his lips, she kicked the door closed and briskly breezed past him down the hallway.

"Wha—Edelgard! Edelgard wait—!"

"Everything that you saw and heard last night— _everything_ —did not happen, understood?" She said sharply as she turned down a corner.

"I can't forget, Edelgard!" Dimitri cried, speeding into a jog until he'd passed her and blocked her path. "You nearly _died,_ I—"

Edelgard walked around him and didn't say a word.

"What if they kill you?" Dimitri pressed, matching Edelgard's stride.

"They won't."

"Do you know that? For certain?"

Edelgard paused, swallowing thickly and inhaling slowly before continuing onwards and walking down the steps from the dorm. "Goodbye, Dimitri."

"Edelgard _stop!_ This is important, please—!"

" _No!"_ Edelgard snapped, spinning sharply on her heel to face him. " _You_ stop! How many times do I have to _tell you—"_

"And if I had listened you would've been nothing more but a corpse on hardwood!" Dimitri yelled back.

Edelgard closed her eyes and sighed heavily before saying, "I know. And I'm grateful, truly but this—situation that I'm in, I desire to do it on my own."

Dimitri shook his head and took a step towards her. "No. You don't."

Edelgard opened her eyes and frowned at him. "I beg your pardon?"

"Last night...you said you wanted me to walk with you. Just before you fell asleep, I remember," Dimitri clarified, and watched as those lavender eyes widened.

"I—"

"And I meant what I said that night as well; I _want_ to look out for you," Dimitri said earnestly, taking her hands in his and squeezing them.

Edelgard's gaze fell to their dually clasped hands, faraway look in her eyes as she slowly spread her fingers, lacing them with Dimitri's.

Two...three...five seconds passed with silk twined with iron before Edelgard finally murmured, "Not here."

Dimitri's heart skipped a beat, hope lighting behind his eyes as she slowly stepped back and let her hands drop to her sides. But before she could give a location the doors behind them opened with a flourish.

"Well, well! If it isn't my fellow house leaders!" Claude said cheerfully, his broad grin in stark contrast to Professor Byleth's usual stoic disposition and Seteth's grim face frowning at his clasped hands from his desk. "Ready to get your butts kicked?"

"Ah," Dimitri rubbed his temples and sighed. "The Battle of Eagle and Lion...Goddess how could I forget?"

"Is _everyone_ forgetting that battle? Well advantage for us, right, Teach?" Claude slapped a hand on Byleth's back, but she seemed to be too busy staring into space to notice or care.

"Anyway we're off! Breakfast and battle plans to deal with, cheers!" He gave the two a cheery salute before he and Byleth departed down the hallway.

"I admit, I forgot as well," Edelgard said with huff. "How could I have been so—never mind. Dimitri—"

"Of course," Dimitri said with a soft smile. "Another time."

Edelgard nodded and gave him the barest hint of a smile before leaving him to stand in the hallway alone. His smile faded as he watched her walk away, a part of him fearing this mock battle had ruined his chances of truly understanding her predicament.

**-o0o-**

Edelgard was in the midst of walking down the stairs leading to the Main Entrance when she felt something heavy slam into her back.

She cried out in surprise, as her body went airborne, crashing against the marble steps before sprawling onto the floor with a pained gasp.

"I guess Solon was right," a voice chirped at the top of the stairs..

Edelgard pushed herself to her knees, wincing at the bruising in her sides. But before she could stand up completely, a hand had gripped her elbow and warped her away.

Moments later, Edelgard had reappeared in the Black Eagles classroom, forced to her feet and spun around to face her attacker.

"Boo!" Kronya beamed before kicking Edelgard in the stomach and sending her crashing into a chair.

Edelgard landed with a grunt, the chair teetering backwards momentarily before landing back on its front legs.

"I would've thought last night had given you a chance for...y'know, self reflection and humbleness! Buuut," She shrugged and smiled. "Guess not. So you'll be joining my official Redemption Class!"

Edelgard's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Redemption cannot be taught," a familiar voice uttered dazedly. "And it can be only given to those wishing to seek it."

Turning to the side, Edelgard saw both Jeritza and a scowling Tomas sitting on similar seats to hers.

"Now, you three have one thing in common; you're all fuck ups!" Kronya took a teaching stick from the blackboard and pointed at Tomas. " _You_ tried to get our latest toy killed."

Tomas gritted his teeth and clenched his cane. "That boy is an uncontrollable—!"

"Ah, _up, up, up._ Shut it, Grandpa. This is a strict _no excuses_ zone!" Kronya said snapping the stick on Tomas's shoulder and causing him to hiss angrily.

She then pointed the stick at Jeritza. " _You—"_

"Did nothing," Jeritza finished boredly.

" _Exactly._ What happened to bringing that Flayn girl to us? Huh?" Kronya challenged and Edelgard glanced between the two in bewilderment. Flayn? What would they want with her?

Jeritza sighed. "I don't answer to you or your people without Edelgard's permission...apparently."

" _Wrong_ answer!" Kronya said, snapping the stick on his shoulder as well. Jeritza simply blinked dully behind his mask.

Kronya then turned to Edelgard with the stick. "And most recently _you—"_

"What happened to your suit?" Edelgard cut her off, noticing that she was two tails short.

Kronya's face immediately darkened and she scoffed. "Complications. I dealt with it."

"Judging by your expression, I think not," Edelgard responded coolly, leaning back in her chair with a smile as Kronya growled under her breath.

"Forget about _me!_ At last I do what I'm supposed to, you loose lipped wench!" She snapped.

"Loose lipped?" Tomas demanded, turning to glare at Edelgard as her smile quickly disappeared. "You don't mean—"

"Oh _yes,"_ Kronya chuckled darkly. She poked Edelgard's nose with the stick and it took all of her willpower not to give the sadistic Agarthan the reaction she desired. "You were just about to spill all our secrets to the resident orphan prince of Faerghus, weren't you, Edel?"

Edelgard narrowed her eyes at Kronya as she continued, this time poking the area her heart furiously beat. "Don't try denying it; I knew when I stumbled on that little scene yesterday that if you hadn't already said something you would. So I followed you around and what do you know! I was _right."_

"And yet you condemn me for trying to rid ourselves of him?" Tomas demanded incredulously. "I told all of you this would happen! He's gotten into her head."

"Gotta begrudgingly agree with you, old man. A pretty face and she's running all across Fódlan to rescue him. A little bit of puppy eyes and he's got her spilling her guts," Kronya shook her head as she idly slid a finger up and down the teaching stick. "Makes me wonder what else he could make her do."

"Dimitri doesn't _make_ me do _anything,"_ Edelgard hissed, gripping the edge of her seat tightly. "Everything I do is for the good of—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Kronya said, batting a hand through the air. "Whatever makes you sleep well at night, Edel. I didn't come here to discuss your love life anywho."

Kronya turned and pointed her stick at the board. "Here's my plan to take down Professor Byleth and—"

Edelgard scoffed. "Why in Fódlan's name would you need to go after her, for? Was _she_ the complication? Are you simply throwing a tantrum?"

" _No!"_ Kronya snapped, spinning back around and stomping her foot. "She has the Crest Stone, you moron!"

Edelgard's eyes widened in surprise. Why would Professor Byleth possess something so powerful?

"Snoop through her room and retrieve it," Jeritza said. "There is no reason for us to be here."

"It's not _in_ her room, she has it on her! She attacked me with it this very morning in the cathedral!" Kronya said impatiently. "I'm pretty sure she sewed it into her clothes."

Edelgard raised her eyebrows as Jeritza said, "Impossible," and Tomas demanded, "Have you _seen_ her outfit of choice, Kronya?"

"Well she had to have it _somewhere_. She had no pockets and wasn't holding it in her hands, but she used its power against me and the ritual stone glowed— _what?!"_ Kronya snapped in frustration as she turned to Jeritza and his raised hand.

"Perhaps it is in her boot," came the suggestion.

"Those things are as big as eggs and harder than iron. And with _her_ moves? There's no way it was in her boot," Kronya argued.

"And where, pray tell, would it be otherwise?" Tomas scoffed. "Your ritual stone is _clearly_ faulty."

"Whatever! We'll take her down and torture her until she tells us," Kronya said. "We'll use the Battle of Eagle and Lion as a—"

"Manuela and I aren't allowed to participate," Jeritza sighed glumly. "And Tomas hardly belongs on the field…"

"Stop. Cutting. Me. Off!" Kronya snapped with another stomp of her foot. "Now _shut up_ and _listen,"_ she said pointing to the blackboard. "Finish this task and Thales will reward all of you handsomely."

Edelgard sighed heavily and gave her ear. She supposed it would bode well for her to get on Arundel's good side.

**-o0o-**

"No offence, Teach but I _think_ you're going a little overboard," Claude muttered as Byleth unpacked another bundle of swords from the carriage they'd used to get to Gronder Field.

"Training swords break easily and there's going to be us Deer plus the knights to act as our battalion—it isn't overboard," Byleth said offhandedly as she surveyed the load. She was about to take out yet another box of healing potions when the sound of galloping hooves neared her and Claude.

A firm hand clamped on Byelth's shoulder followed by a familiar voice uttering, "Byleth."

"Hey, I just heard what happened. You alright?"

Byleth stared at her father blankly. "...happened?"

" _The attack this morning, you fool!"_ Sothis hissed.

"Oh," Byleth said before answering her father properly. "I'm fine. She was pretty weak."

"What's Lady Rhea planning to do about it?" Claude asked curiously.

Jeralt scoffed and glared to the side. "Wants us to keep it under wraps. With the White Heron Cup and Academy Ball fast approaching she wants students to enjoy it without any worries. Stupid if you ask me; the kids need to defend themselves."

"The girl was trying to get something from me—a Crest Stone," Byleth said, counting the potion bottles before taking more supplies from the cart. "I don't think the other students are in any danger."

Jeralt frowned. "A Crest Stone? Why in the world would she think you had _that?"_

Byleth shrugged. "Probably because I used the Crest of Flames on her. It's the rarest one, right? Maybe she's a crazy noble looking for power and doesn't think it's in my blood."

"She didn't _look_ like a noble," Claude said. "Hell, she didn't look like _anyone_ from Fódlan; her skin, her clothes—haven't seen it anywhere here nor anywhere bordering it."

Jeralt's frown deepened as Byleth said, "It's not a big deal. I told you, she's weak."

"Still, be careful, Byleth," Jeralt said seriously, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

Byleth nodded. "I will."

"Good girl. Now, kick some ass today." Jeralt said with a companionable pat and tiny smile.

Byleth nodded once more as Jeralt gave Claude a quick word of acknowledgement before mounting his horse and riding off.

"Oh we're _definitely_ kicking ass today!" Claude beamed. "Our plan is foolproof, you hear that Lorenz?!" Claude yelled the last part out to the purple haired Deer who was busy preening in his hand mirror atop a large rock some ways away. He turned to glare at his house leader and stormed off with a loud harrumph.

"Plus, look at the other two. Edelgard and Dimitri look like they're at a funeral," Claude jabbed a thumb backwards to the group of Eagles and Lions nearby with their own battalion and carriages.

Indeed, Dimitri was sitting in the grass idly sharpening his lance and muttering under his breath while Edelgard watched the field with hawk-like eyes, face stony and body completely rigid.

This was in contrast to their peers however.

"The other students look happy though," Byleth noted, watching as the Blue Lions healer opened a basket with a flourish.

"Ta-da!" She said as the other members of her house save for Dimitri crowded around her eagerly. The flaxen haired girl then looked over her shoulder to beam at the Black Eagles. "Would any of you all want any?"

"Whoa, whoa, _what?"_ Claude spluttered as he and Byleth watched a blue haired Black Eagles member cry, "Hell yeah! Brownies!" He took five and crammed them all into his mouth, causing another Eagle with long green hair to wrinkle his nose in disgust. "Since when were they on good terms?"

Byleth shrugged. "I suppose it was bound to happen, aren't Dimitri and Edelgard secret fiances or something?"

Claude frowned at her. "...you've been speaking with Hilda a lot, haven't you?"

"Uh-huh. She's been slacking off on homework. Why?"

"Those are all rumors, Teach…" Claude's voice trailed off, eyes following Dimitri as he stood with brownie in hand and offered it to Edelgard. She blinked out of her daze to glance down at the treat and immediately flushed inexplicably.

"If you feel so guilty about eating it we can share," Dimitri said. "It _is_ quite big. Here." He split the brownie in half and handed the bigger half to the princess.

After a moment of hesitation she took it and uttered a small, "Thank you."

"Although, maybe there's some foundation for them to stand on. Huh," Claude frowned in thought, and Byleth knew figuring out if the two were actually secretly engaged would be the topic of their discussion for quite some time.

"Hey, Professor Byleth!" Raphael called from behind them. "I ate some berries and now my throat is kinda tight! Is that bad?"

"Marianne, heal Raphael before he dies," Byleth said calmly and the periwinkle haired girl quickly scurried off with a horrified squeak.

Byleth glanced over her shoulder to see if that task was being completed before giving Claude a sideways glance. "Does a possible alliance muddle our plan?"

Claude hummed in thought and shrugged. "Shouldn't. But we should keep an eye on them just in—"

"D'you think they'd share those brownies?" Lysithea whispered longingly, pink eyes peeking from behind the book she was looking through.

"Hey good idea, Lysithea! Infiltrate their ranks and rob some intel from them!" Claude said triumphantly.

Lysithea's eyes widened and she groaned. "Great. I can't believe I said that out loud…"

A mere moment later, trumpets sounded, their piercing melody echoing throughout the air and capturing the attention of all the students.

"Already?" Ignatz said with a shudder. "Oh man, I'm not ready!"

"Sure we are!" Leonie said with a pumped fist. "Our plan won't fail."

"Just as long as Professor doesn't get kicked in the face again, that is," Hilda teased lightly.

"Trust me," Claude said strapping on his quiver. "Teach and I—Teach?"

" _You're sensing someone again aren't you?"_ Sothis said darkly.

"Not just that," Byleth murmured under her breath, eyes scanning the cliff side as she pressed a hand on her chest. "There's pressure beneath my ribs again."

" _I don't see anyone watching you this time however,"_ Sothis mused.

"Except for Rhea," Byleth commented, eyes locking with the ethereal Archbishop. The woman smiled kindly down at her, gaze filled with that weird mixture of glee and longing she had whenever looking at Byleth.

" _Ugh. She gives me the creeps. Anyway, do you think that girl came back?"_

"Maybe. But I can defeat her again, I'm not worried about me." Byleth said, turning back around and eyeing the trees instead, ignoring the confused looks her students were sending her way.

" _You don't mean that,"_ Sothis stated matter-of-factly.

Byleth's eyes landed briefly on the Deer before returning to her search.

"I do. I have...a bad feeling."

" _That 'feeling' is worry, I assure you."_

"No, it's different," Byleth insisted. "Worrying is a different bad feeling. This bad feeling is...it's more—"

A tanned hand waved directly in Byleth's face, followed by the words, "Aye, Teach! Back with us?"

Byleth blinked twice before looking fully at Claude. "I didn't leave."

"Well, if we're being physical here. But I need your _head_ here too, yeah?" Claude responded. "Oh, also we wanted you to join the cheer."

Byleth blinked curiously as Claude gestured towards Lysithea who was moving her hands in intricate patterns, moments later a burst of yellow sparks shot into the bright blue sky and formed the blindingly glowing form of a deer.

"3...2...1," Claude said before the students with the exception of Marianne chanted, "FEAR THE DEER! FEAR THE DEER!"

"I'm not worried for me. I didn't lie," Byleth said quietly, the beginnings of a frown drawing her brows down as the students continued chanting and Hilda began dramatically dancing atop a nearby rock for the curious onlookers.

" _Fearing for the little ones is still worrying,"_ Sothis said.

"It's not," Byleth insisted. "It's worse. Way worse."

" _Shouldn't you tell Rhea about your concerns? I'm sure she'd listen."_ Sothis suggested.

Byleth shook her head. "Father said she didn't want to cause a panic. Stopping this battle for mysterious reasons will do just that; she won't listen.

"Besides," she continued, hands falling to her sword. "I need to face and end that girl for good. She won't stop until she has what she wants and I can't afford her killing anyone—much less my students."

**-o0o-**

Edelgard wondered if it was too much to hope that Professor Byleth would end up killing Kronya during this ambush.

Unlikely? Perhaps. But a girl could dream.

Jeralt Eisner was once more laying out the rules for her and her peers; they were the same as earlier in the year except with the allowance of full Crest activation. If there were any other changes she wasn't fully certain for her nerves—loathe she was to admit it—were gnawing at her and robbed a good chunk of her attention.

As was her conscious.

Edelgard didn't know Professor Byleth well if at all. But she never enjoyed having more blood dye her hands.

And if _those_ thoughts weren't enough…

' _I almost told him,'_ Edelgard sighed heavily and squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't believe herself—why, what had possessed her to be so willing to—?

In her mind's eye she could see his face, in particular those expressful eyes. Kind, earnest...blue shining brightly with concern. Those same eyes that had been filled with a determined flame when her life had been threatened in the three times since they'd met.

Edelgard opened her eyes and glanced briefly towards the Blue Lions group a ways away on a different part of the field, tensing when her eyes locked with Dimitri's.

That gaze of concern was on his face again.

Her sight of him was quickly blocked by Hubert's looming form as he narrowed his eyes at her with a disapproving, "Lady Edelgard."

"I am _not_ distracted," she said sharply as she indignantly turned back to Jeralt.

"With all do respect, princess, our goal is to hand Professor Byleth over to Those who Slither in the Dark," Hubert said in a low voice after glancing around briefly to ensure nobody was eavesdropping. " _Not_ to stare longingly into the eyes of princes."

Edelgard's eyes widened before her head snapped towards Hubert, glare burning in her eyes. " _Longing?"_ She hissed. "You are absolutely _mistaken_ Hubert!"

"And _you_ are flushed pink," Hubert responded dryly.

"Wha—" Edelgard pressed a gloved hand against her rapidly warming cheek. "It—you—!"

Hubert sighed, green eye softening as he regarded her. "I understand that Prince Dimitri may...relate to you in some aspects. Understand you in ways that even I cannot but you must remember that at the end of the day—"

"He's expendable," Edelgard finished woodenly.

"Well I was _going_ to say a puppet for The Agarthans but...yes," Hubert. "It would be in your best interest to forget about him."

Edelgard breathed out a bitter laugh and simply stated. "I can't."

Hubert furrowed his brow, opening his mouth to say something else before Jeralt's voice boomed, "Now that the rules have been stated, it's time for the battle to begin. Good luck to all of you," Jeralt gave his horse a kick and cantered off the field.

Edelgard took a deep breath to steel and recenter herself. "Remember what we discussed," she finally said, turning to address the Black Eagles. "You will split evenly, one group will deal with the Deer, the other the Lions. Hubert and I will take the leaders."

Edelgard glanced at Byleth once more and turned away with a sigh. She didn't know exactly what Kronya and the Agarthans planned to do, but she knew it would be horrible, and she knew the quiet professor didn't deserve it.

"I'm sorry," Edelgard said under her breath. But she had a war to win—no sacrifice was too big.

**-o0o-**

Byleth's mind wasn't entirely on the battle.

Luckily, this was only a mock battle, so every sword that jabbed at her side when she was staring into the distance, every arrow that hit her thigh when she'd sworn she saw a suspicious shadow, and every blast of magic that tossed her down when she was distracted by the constant fluctuating of the discomfort in her chest wouldn't kill her.

Stil, she'd hate it if she let her students down.

From her side, a Black Eagles Knight charged forward with a war cry, lance pointed at her distracted form as she tried scanning for another potential villain. When she finally turned to face him, an arrow slammed against his helmet, making him shudder and lose balance before, toppling.

He screeched dramatically as Claude came into view with a frown on his face. "What's going on, Teach? Your head isn't in the game, I can tell."

Byleth shook her head and blocked an incoming arrow with the flat of her blade. "This isn't usually like me. I'm sorry."

"It's that girl from this morning, isn't?" Claude pressed and Byleth tensed. "Hey, come on. You said so yourself; she's weak right?"

"To me, maybe," Byleth said, turning to face him properly. "Not to you or the other Deer."

"First of all, _ouch,"_ Claude said, pressing a hand against his chest. "Secondly, you don't have to worry about us, Teach! You taught us well, we can handle ourselve—"

The two were illuminated in a brilliant violet light and turned simultaneously to find Hubert, hand raised and a large orb of swirling dark energy hung in the air.

With a smirk, he lowered his hand and sent the orb flying, Byleth and Claude leaping back in opposite directions in order to dodge.

Byleth landed, watching as the spell exploded and sent a line of purple fire streaking down the field before circling around her in a wide circle.

" _Goodness! That's quite a spell,"_ Sothis commented.

Byleth nodded in agreement. "I should take him out next, just in case he has more dangerous spells in his—"

A hand slammed against Byleth's back, but before she could turn to find her attacker, her vision was blinded in a sea of magenta.

When the light faded, she was all alone—the sound of battle from earlier long gone.

The discomfort in her chest intensified as a familiar laugh echoed throughout the dark wood. "Ready for round two?"

" _I have a bad feeling; we should leave, now!"_ Sothis said urgently.

"No. I'm ending her this time," Byleth said, holding out her sword.

" _Nobody is here! Nobody is in danger, and you are currently wielding_ wood! _We have to go now!"_

"How? Besides, she'll only follow; you know that."

" _Not if we—!"_

From between the dark trees, figures came out, hands alight with magic and weapons that would hack a wooden sword with ease being brandished.

Byleth staggered back, quickly realizing her already horrible odds.

" _That's it, I'm taking us back!"_

Before Byleth could ask what Sothis meant, the world shattered around her and wind whooshed through the inverted landscape. Within seconds Byleth saw her previous actions flash before her and she fought the nauseous feeling in her stomach.

Just when she was sure she would throw up, time resumed with another dramatic whoosh and left a dazed Byleth behind.

"... _ouch,_ secondly, you don't have to worry about us, Teach! You taught us well, we can handle ourselves—"

Once more, the two were illuminated in a brilliant violet light and turned simultaneously to find Hubert, hand raised and a large orb of swirling dark energy hung in the air.

This time however, Byleth attempted to charge towards him. Unfortunately, Hubert leaped away from her swing and blasted like the last time.

Byleth gasped, skidding against the grass and narrowly jumping sideways to avoid the violet flames.

" _Remember not to let that assailant get to you again!"_ Sothis warned and Byleth nodded, no longer focusing on the surprise spell and instead spinning around in an attempt to catch the perpetrator.

Just time, she caught her wrist, stopping her glowing hand in its tracks. When her eyes trailed down the arm to find its owner, she frowned in confusion.

"Edelgard?" She and Sothis said at the same time as the princess's eyes widened in panic.

**-o0o-**

Within the span of five seconds, Edelgard had let every swear and curse she knew of scream angrily through her brain.

Hubert had given the signal to Kronya, Tomas Death Knight, and all the other waiting Agarthans, meaning they would already be at the rendezvous point _right now_ and she was late.

She couldn't mess up again—if she did—

"Edelgard?" The Professor questioned, a rare bit of emotion was on her face; bewilderment.

Why did she look so confused though? This was a battle after all, so unless Byleth recognized the spell she was about to use—which was doubtful—Edelgard wasn't exactly doing anything suspicious or against the rules.

But she didn't have time to dwell on that.

Edelgard twisted her west and broke out of Byleth's grip, squeezing the axe handle at her side and swinging as hard as she could.

Byleth blocked and asked, "Why are you trying to bring me to that girl?"

Edelgard gasped, heart freezing.

How did she know? How in Fódlan's name _did she know?_

Gritting her teeth, Edelgard spun away and tried to grab her elbow to cast Warp again but Byleth leaped away.

With each failed attempt to touch Byleth in the _slightest_ her frustration and fear grew. How long had it been?

Edelgard ducked under a sword swing and lunged under the blade aiming for Byleth's stomach only for the young woman to jump over her head.

Two minutes? Three? Five?

Edelgard broke her fall with a roll, jumped back to her feet and spun to block another blow from Byleth. She tried holding the axe with one hand and squeezing Byleth's forearm with the other, but the mercenary was taller and stronger—thus her one handed hold didn't keep her safe from being pushed back towards the raging violet flames.

What would they do if Edelgard angered them once more? Poison her again? Cut ties with her? Would they end what little life she had left?

"Stop _moving!"_ Edelgard shrieked in frustration and fear as she powered her Crest of Seiros fully.

Byleth side stepped one of Edelgard's heavy swings but couldn't block her follow up sideways one due to her Crest imbued speed.

The mercenary grunted as she was struck in the stomach and thrown back into a tree.

This was it—all she had to do know was—

An orb slammed into her stomach and sent her flying through the air sprawling to the grass within the nearby cluster of trees.

"Don't worry, Professor, I got you!" A tiny voice said triumphantly as Edelgard scrambled to her feet hurriedly.

' _No, no, no, no,_ _ **no.'**_

Edelgard attempted to charge again when a hand gripped her shoulder and stopped her movements.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw a man with a dark feathered hat lowered over his eyes, disapproving scowl on his lips.

"Wait! Wait I—!"

Edelgard's words fell on deaf ears and she was warped out of sight.

**-o0o-**

"She's gone," Lysithea said in confusion as she, Byleth, and Claude made it to the place Edelgard had been thrown to.

"Probably cut her losses and retreated realizing she was outnumbered," Claude guessed.

Byleth however was thinking about the look on her face, the desperation in her eyes and actions—

Behind her, Lysithea and Claude screamed in agony and spurred her to spin around. They collapsed to the ground in a sizzling, pained heap and Byleth rose her sword once more.

Standing by her fallen students, a man with a large hat stood with his hands outstretched.

"When you want something done," he began before disappearing and reappearing behind Byleth. She spun to attack, only for him to catch her forearm and squeeze. "You do it yourself."

Just before they warped away, the strangled call of "Teach!" reached Byleth's ears.

The man rose his hand, aiming behind Byleth's shoulder where Claude was struggling to his feet and using a branch to support himself.

Byleth rammed a shoulder in his face and caused him to stagger back in release her with a grunt. She then kicked him in the stomach, causing him to fall before dashing towards Claude.

"We need to go _now,"_ she said urgently as she leaned him against her body and crouched to help a groaning Lysithea up as well.

"Lysithea," Byleth gave the girl a questioning look that she answered with a determined nod, even through the clear pain she was in.

The strange man warped in front of them however, stated, "I think not," and blasted Byleth back.

She cried out in pain as her body skidded through the grass, creating a deep trench.

"That...spell," she panted in pain with a wheezing cough.

" _He's a powerful mage indeed—I think we should rewind time again!"_

The man warped in front of Byleth, looking down at her with hidden eyes.

"Sothis?" Byleth whispered, apprehension quickly mounting.

" _I can't!"_ Sothis cried in panic. " _It's not working! I don't know why!"_

The man bent down and placed a hand on Byleth's wrist, a moment later they'd warped away—back to the place she and Sothis had escaped from, violet chains erupting from her ground to wrap around and pin her down.

"I have her here," the man called into the thicket of heavy boughed trees as he stood up.

"About time," The familiar girl's voice said as she stepped into the light, followed by several figures in cloaks and masks, as well as a grey skinned old man and a familiar dark knight. She peered down at Byleth with a smirk. "Not so _tough_ now, are you?"

"It says a lot about your strength when…" Byleth winced and coughed before continuing, "You can't even feel confident around me unless I'm chained and wounded."

The girl scowled angrily. "Shut up, you! I—!"

"Calm yourself, Kronya," the hat man said.

"So I cannot fight?" The Knight said gloomily.

"There's no need anymore," The hat man said, kicking Byleth in the ribs. She gritted her teeth and hissed.

"Where's Edelgard?" The girl named Kronya asked, "I thought _she_ was supposed to bring her in."

"She took too long," The hat man shrugged. "I sent her to Thales for judgment and took over her job."

" _These people...who are they?"_ Sothis asked, a faraway hint of panic in her voice. " _There's something about them…"_

"Leave that impudent child to fail at the most simple of tasks," The old man sneered. "I hope her judgment is harsh as can be— _that_ should teach her some respect!"

"Don't be so smug, Solon," The hat man said. "Now that I too have taken your job, as well as Death Knight's and every mage here, you'll need to do something else to prove your worth— _your_ judgment is still pending."

The old man bristled as Hat Man continued with, "Now then," and walked around Byleth's head before kneeling and placing his palm against her temples. She tried hard not to wince. "Tell us where The Crest of Flames Stone is."

Byleth's body was struck with lightning and she gasped in pain, muscles bunching. Her mind began to swim with everything she knew about her Crest, the Crest Stone, her powers…

"She doesn't know," Hat Man said, voice tinged with the slightest bit of surprise.

" _Ugh! That was horrible!"_ Sothis cried. " _What_ was _that?"_

"But she has it! That doesn't make any sense!" Kronya snapped.

"Edelgard failed to put our mission first, shows _worrying_ signs of affection for that Blaiddyd boy, never bothers to hide her disdain for us, and couldn't even Warp someone without being stopped!" Solon said. "She must have sent false information to throw us off."

"No, I feel there's a puzzle piece that is missing," Hat Man mused. "I sense great power coming from her."

" _And_ she used it on me this morning! She has it, I _know_ she does!" Kronya exclaimed.

"How can she have something and have no knowledge of it?" Solon demanded.

Hat Man was about to answer when an explosion of light rid the forest of its gloom, blowing trees and masked mages alike. Byleth squeezed her eyes shut and looked away as the chains around her disintegrated into wisps of magic

When the light faded, all that was left were several tree stumps within the clearing and a row of Seiros Knights.

At the front was a furious Rhea, hands outstretched in front of her as she breathed in and out sharply.

The cloaked figures stood up with mirrored groans and grumbles, Hat Man calling, "Retreat! Now!"

All of them exploded in a blast of magenta light, the last one to leave was Kronya who hesitated before leaving as well.

" _Well that's a relief,"_ Sothis sighed. " _I wonder how they found you?"_

" _Byleth!"_ a voice boomed from the crowd of Seiros Knights, galloping at top speed on his horse. Once he neared her limp form he jumped off his horse before it could even stop and wrapped Byleth in a tight hug.

"Father…" Byleth said with a slight bit of surprise. He'd hugged her before but...never like this, never this tightly.

"Your students, they...they told us everything and then—Goddess I was so scared…"

Before Byleth could respond to her father's relieved blubbering, the pain finally took its toll on her and she slumped in his arms.

**-o0o-**

"I don't see why you are so disgruntled, Edelgard. Blueberry muffins with tea were always a combination you enjoyed, no?" Arundel said casually, leaning back in his and sipping from his tea cup.

Edelgard didn't look at him, eyes trained on the amber liquid within her teacup. Her mind was reeling with worries, her fists were clenched and shaking atop her lap and she was trying so, so hard to keep the fear from showing on her face.

Arundel pushed the tray closer to her. "Eat, Edelgard. You seem stressed," he said in a clear mockery of concern.

With the tea closer, Edelgard could see her reflection in the rippling liquid.

She wasn't doing a good job at hiding her fear at all and she hated that she couldn't help it.

The sound of footsteps snapped Edelgard's head up in attention, the Agarthan who had brought her here—Myson—entered purposefully and offered Arundel a quick bow.

"The Stone?" Arundel questioned immediately.

"Byleth Eisner possesses it, as she used it to attack Kronya. However she is unaware of it and thus even my abilities were non-sufficient in locating it," Myson said, head bowed in humility.

"I see…" Arundel said slowly, drumming his fingers against the table. "I trust you brought her in for further questioning, however?"

Myson hesitated and opened his mouth to respond when Arundel held up a hand. "Don't bother, I see the answer in your body language."

"I am sorry, Sir. Two of the Professor's students revealed what had happened to Rhea and she came to her aid."

Arundel turned to Edelgard, still addressing Myson as he said, "So had she been transported immediately after the signal…"

"We would've had more time, yes."

"And you didn't immediately bring her to one of our bases because?"

"Precautions. In case she was being tracked."

Arundel nodded slowly as he plucked a piece of Edelgard's muffin and popped it into his mouth. "Understood. You may leave now, Myson."

Myson nodded and turned on his heel. Only when his footsteps had faded did Arundel give Edelgard a large smile.

Edelgard's heart stuttered in fear.

"That Crest Stone could have been mine," Arundel said with a dark chuckle. "But because of your ineptitude…"

"It wasn't my fault," Edelgard said firmly—or at least tried to. She was sure he could hear the quaking in her voice. "Myson stopped me before I could—"

"No excuses, Edelgard. I don't want to hear them," Arundel cut her off. "Perhaps you truly are losing your edge."

Edelgard shook her head. "You're wrong. I'm just as dedicated as I—"

"No, niece. You are wrong," Arundel shook his head. "How can you be so deluded into thinking you are even remotely as dedicated as you were before when not a single thing you've done thus far as aided us—?"

"I got you that sword during The Rite of Rebirth," Edelgard said sharply. "And I also saved Dimitri—"

"Ah yes, yes. Him," Arundel leaned back and sighed. "Is this Dimitri boy the one tripping you up?"

Edelgard clenched her fists tighter. She _hated_ the way Arundel said his name—with a sneer of disdain—and she hated the underlying threat behind his query.

"My shortcomings are _not_ his fault," Edelgard said. "It was I who—" Who decided to let a simple show of selflessness affect her so surely, decided to save him when she had wanted him out of her head, decided that—

"So _now_ you take responsibility?" Arundel mocked. "Cute. But I understand, you're but a scared little girl with an innocent little crush. But if you think you'll be able to keep him safe if I decide to dispose of him then you're more naive than I thought."

"I am not a little girl anymore, Arundel," Edelgard snapped. "I'm not _scared_ and I am certainly not—"

Arundel cut her off and continued, "Lucky for you, disposing of him isn't my intention. However…" his eyes glittered dangerously as he squeezed Edelgard's wrist from underneath the table. She let out a panicked and strangled gasp as she tried to pull free but he only squeezed tighter. "No more slip ups, Edelgard. Otherwise I may have to rethink said intentions."

He finally let go and Edelgard bolted from her chair, chest heaving rapidly and teeth gritted angrily. Arundel smirked back. "That is all."

Edelgard's anger melted into confusion as he dismissed her. That was all? He wasn't going to...punish her?

"Question, niece?"

Edelgard shook her head. "No," she said before quickly turning on her heel.

"Ah! Wait a moment."

Edelgard paused mid step, breathing in nervously.

"Tell your father I'd like to see him," Arundel said. And even though her back was turned to him she knew he was smirking. "It's been awhile, you see."

Edelgard spun around sharply. " _Don't."_

"I don't take blips in my plans lightly, Edelgard. You know this."

"You could _kill him,"_ She uttered, voice creeping up to an octave of fear. "He's too weak."

Arundel sipped slowly from his tea, smacked his lips and asked, "Are you volunteering, niece?"

Edelgard opened her mouth and closed it, hands trembling at her sides and guilt clamping over her heart.

She slumped her shoulders in defeat. Arundel's smirk broadened.

She really _was_ still a scared little girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: So a few people have asked me about the Ashen Wolves and I'm on the fence about it...what do you guys think?
> 
> Anyways, next few chapters will be super character driven and angsty but I'll make sure to add some fluff because you gotta balance that stuff out, y'know? Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	19. The Horrible but Honest Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Whoa hold on, did I just update two weeks after the last chapter? WHAAAAT? Talk about character development! 
> 
> Speaking of developments, this chapter is a doozy folks so strap in and get ready because HOOOO BOY.
> 
> I’d also like to announce I’m planning a weekend chapter for Halloween Weekend that I’m hyped to share with you guys so if you can’t trick-or-treat this year you can certainly look forward to an angst filled night of tears and drama!
> 
> Anwyho, without further ado, chapter 19!

“What in the Goddess’s name is going on with the world?” Alois had said as the Officer’s Academy trekked back to Garreg Mach with subdued murmurs and panicked whispers. “Another attack! Straight after that Miklan ordeal and the Rite of Rebirth as well.”

Edelgard wasn’t properly hearing; her heart was pounding too loudly in her ears and her mind dwelled elsewhere. 

She wondered if her father would survive, wondered if Kronya or Tomas had told Arundel about nearly telling Dimitri everything. Surely he’d be far angrier if they had?

Maybe he’d learn soon, maybe he’d show up or send someone else to punish her. 

And then there was Byleth. 

Edelgard could already feel anxious adrenaline shaking her limbs as she glanced at the young woman’s unconscious from within one of the carriages—Captain Jeralt inside with her, squeezing her hand. 

Byleth knew. How could she? How had she even—?

No, it didn’t matter how she came to find out. But if Byleth woke up then Edelgard’s position as a spy at Garreg Mach would surely be over. In fact Rhea might even execute her publicly in front of everyone seeing as how the professor’s injury had angered that woman so—Edelgard could feel the rage radiating from her right where she stood sandwiched in the crowd of Eagles. 

She could go to Myson—he was very well versed in matters of the mind, but that meant admitting she’d somehow let slip her position. That meant risking punishment—risking Dimitri. Or worse….

Edelgard thought of that….place and shuddered horribly. 

She’d rather die than lay strapped to a table, subjected to The Agarthans torments again—would even rather her father….

Edelgard swallowed the lump in her throat and took in a deep breath. Father was strong, he’d be alright. He had to be. 

“The same people in two outta three of those attacks,” Catherine said grimly. “That freaky bird masked cult that was aligned with the Western Church.”

From nearby, Edelgard could make out the sound of a strangled gasp. Dimitri paused abruptly in his movement, fists clenched at his sides and lips trembling until his retainer pressed a hand against his back and gently pushed him forwards once more. 

“What did he want?” Hubert asked in a low voice, spurring Edelgard to look away and turn to her own retainer. 

“They took Father,” Edelgard responded tightly. Hubert inhaled sharply and tensed. 

“As punishment?”

Edelgard nodded, trying to quench the fear that once more reared its head in her heart. “I can’t—I need to focus. Now more than ever.”

And she needed to find a mind wiping spell, fast. 

Luckily, Byleth didn’t wake up even hours after the battle, and that left her enough time to find something valuable—it should have, at least. Her search had been frustratingly futile thus far and she was beginning to fear she would never find a solution.

_ Especially  _ since the information in the lower library shelves were insufficient and Edelgard was forced to climb higher where she couldn’t  _ reach  _ anything. 

Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last time, Edelgard cursed her tiny build. 

The book was right there,  _ right there  _ and she simply. Couldn’t.  _ Reach!  _

She grunted with strain as she desperately tried to grasp the upper spine of the book she sought but finding herself  _ just  _ short. Letting out a breath of frustration, she clutched the wooden shelf tightly and used it as leverage to hoist herself upwards. 

That plan became immediately impossible as the frail wood beneath her grasping hand splintered downawards and sent two books sliding out towards the floor. She gasped, dropping her arm and nearly toppling off the rolling wooden ladder as she attempted to steady herself. 

The books below hit the ground with a  _ thud  _ that echoed through the darkness and she winced, looking around to see if anyone—namely Tomas would come and investigate. If he saw her doing something as unchertaristic as browsing the library late at night he would get suspicious. 

She took the candle she had resting on the shelf below her and held it aloft, thankfully finding nobody coming her way. She then placed it back down and sighed, pressing her forehead against the ladder handle. Sleep deprived, short, and working on the down low. 

What a  _ fantastic  _ combination. 

How in Fódlan’s name did Dimitri function without sleep when she felt like crumpling to the ground and curling up at every moment? The only thing she could think of was his Crest—that or several nights of practice. 

Taking a calming breath to rid her mind of its agitation, Edelgard reached for the book once more, this time gingerly rising on her toes. The ladder creaked and shook slightly under her as she gritted her teeth in frustration and lifted one leg in a futile attempt to increase her elevation. 

Suddenly a voice called, “Edelgard?” 

Edelgard startled with a gasp, and flinched, losing her precarious balance on the ball of her foot and teetering to the side. 

She let out a surprised shriek as the ladder rolled in the opposite direction on its troublesome wheels while she fell backwards. 

“Edelgard!” Dimitri exclaimed in horror as Edelgard’s heart leapt into her throat and threatened to strangle her with panic as she free-falled towards the ground. Only after she had fallen with a note of surprise in his arms did it thunk back into place. 

“Oh, thank the Goddess!” He cried in relief, holding her tense and dazedly blinking form securely to his chest. “I’m so, so, sorry! Are you—?”

“I’m...I’m fine,” Edelgard said, attempting to regain her bearings after a possibly fatal fall and the feeling of Dimitri’s strong arms cradling her to his warm muscled chest. 

“S-Sorry, again,” Dimitri said sheepishly. “I—do you...want me to put you down?”

“I’ll get down myself,” Edelgard said tightly. She was looking away from Dimitri now, but even so she was certain he could see the embarrassed flush burning all the way down to her neck.

She quickly let go of his shirt (when had she grabbed  _ that?)  _ and slid out of his grip to land daintily onto the floor, straightening her clothes, taking in a deep breath, and turning to him with her usual mask of neutrality, flush eliminated. “May I help you?”

Dimitri stared at her for a few moments with a pink tinted face before clearing his throat and uttering, “N-no I mean...yes I—that is, if you’re willing.”

_ ‘If I’m willing?’  _ Edelgard eyed Dimitri curiously and crossed her arms. “Alright, I’m listening.”

“It...has to do with those mages, the ones who kidnapped Professor Byleth during The Battle of Eagle and Lion,” Dimitri said and Edelgard tensed as he continued with, “I finally came in here to see if I could pinpoint just who they are after mulling it over for hours—but now that you’re here…”

Edelgard hesitated, carefully formulating her words before asking, “What makes you think I know of them?”

Dimitri shook his head and smiled weakly. “It’s...paranoia I’m sure. I just had this sudden silly theory that the people who poisoned you—I felt they may have been connected to those mages somehow, and by extension, you.”

Edelgard mentally cursed and glanced over her shoulder for Tomas before turning back to the prince, an incredulous smile on his face as he continued. “You see, During the Rite of Rebirth you fled after I told you the Mausoleum was being guarded, and soon after a prized possession of Lady Rhea’s was successfully stolen. Then during that Battle of Eagle and Lion you went missing for an hour—both of those events featured those monsters and—“

Dimitri laughed and ran an awkward hand through his hair. “I—Goddess this is foolish. The only reason I’m even bringing this up is because Glenn thought it held some weight I...I’m wrong though, Edelgard.  _ He’s _ wrong...right?”

Edelgard tempered the anxiety creeping into her heart and as calmly as she could asked, “And if you aren’t?”

Dimitri eyes widened before clamping his eyes shut and hissing in pain, clutching his skull. “Please,” he whispered, and Edelgard knew he wasn’t talking to her. _ “Stop it.  _ Just let her speak I-I need clarification.”

Edelgard swallowed and called a firm, “Dimitri,” to pull him out of his delusions. 

Dimitri jolted and gasped like a drowning man seeking oxygen, he blinked repeatedly before turning to Edelgard. “They— _ I  _ need answers, Edelgard.”

Edelgard nodded slowly, uttering, “Alright,” once more. 

Dimitri closed his eyes and inhaled slowly before opening them once more and whispering, “Why?  _ Why _ are you working with them?”

“I wouldn’t be working with them had I a choice; you saw that night I’m—“ Edelgard glanced over her shoulder momentarily and licked her lips in trepidation. Turning back and walking towards him as she said, “Dimitri we shouldn’t speak here.” She checked over her shoulder once more before tilting her head towards the library exit and striding toward it. “Come, let’s—“

Dimitri’s arm shot out and he snatched Edelgard’s wrist, squeezing it tightly beneath his firm grip and stopping her in her tracks. “Edelgard,” he said, voice grave and strained. 

Edelgard sucked in a sharp breath and turned to look the prince in the eye. Those eyes were gloomy, almost as if they were drenched in ink and his muscles were bunched beneath his thin night blouse. 

“They grow impatient, they find you guilty. I can’t—if they don’t get an explanation soon—“

“Dimitri,” Edelgard said firmly, jerking her hand but not managing to escape his grasp. “We can’t speak here; it’s dangerous.”

Dimitri narrowed his eyes and squeezed tighter. “So am I, Edelgard,” he said darkly. 

Edelgard contemplated stabbing him with her dagger and fleeing—he clearly wasn’t in his right state of mind and the longer she stayed the more likely it was for her to become endangered. 

Instead she said, “Let me go first.”

Dimitri’s grip slackened and Edelgard took several steps away from him before levelling him with a glare. “And for the last time, do  _ not  _ grab me like that.”

Dimitri didn’t sheepishly apologize, didn’t flush and make a self-deprecating comment—instead he asked, “Is that it then? Because they hurt you if you don’t listen?”

“No,” Edelgard snapped defensively. “I need them for my  _ own _ ambitions—the threats are simply a tactic they use to control me.”

Dimitri stared at her for several long moments before closing the space between him and her. 

Edelgard fought the urge to step back again. 

“Look me in the eye, Edelgard. Look me in the eye and tell me— _ promise  _ me you had nothing to do with The Tragedy of Duscur.”

Edelgard met his intense gaze in kind as she truthfully said, “I promise; I had absolutely  _ nothing _ to do with your father’s regicide. Nothing.”

Dimitri held her gaze for a few moments before his gaze snapped sharply to the right. Edelgard feared he’d seen Tomas until she saw the faraway look in his eyes. 

He shook his head firmly and said, “No. I believe her.”

Edelgard released the tension in her muscles as Dimitri sighed in relief and turned back to her with a tiny smile, stepping back as he said, “Thank you, Edelgard.”

The murkiness in his eyes were gone, replaced with an elated glow of pure gratitude and glee. 

She shook her head and frowned. “Whatever for? All I did was confirm your suspicions.”

“You eased my mind,” he corrected. “Now...now I can rest easy knowing you aren’t who I feared.”

“In that case, I’m glad—Dimitri?” Edelgard said in confusion as he took her hand—gently this time—and rubbed a thumb against the skin of her bruising wrist just below her askew glove hem. 

“I hurt you,” he said, voice laced with shame and brow furrowed in concern. 

“It’s only a bruise, and you weren’t in your correct state of mind.”

Dimitri shook his head. “No. No, I’m going to make this up to you, bruise or no.” He looked up from her wrist to her face and smiled. “Rest. In the morning I’ll think of something to give you.”

“Dimitri,  _ again,  _ it’s merely a bru- _ uise?”  _ Edelgard’s voice raised an octave as Dimitri brushed his lips against her flesh before lowering her hand. 

“Good night, Edelgard,” He bowed swiftly and elegantly before turning on his heel and leaving Edelgard in the orange glow of the overhead candle light, eyes locked on the skin he’d kissed. 

He… 

Edelgard’s lips twitched upwards in a smile, cheeks flushing pink and heart skipping a beat. He’d just—she was no stranger to kisses on the hand and—oh, it probably meant  _ nothing  _ but—

No,  _ stop.  _ She could dwell on that (admittedly exciting thought) later, right now she needed to find that blasted ladder and continue her search. She bent and picked up the fallen books from earlier and held it under the crook of her arm. 

Hopefully it hadn’t rolled  _ too  _ far—she didn’t want—

She came face to face with the hunched figure of Tomas. 

“Well!” Tomas smiled. “What an intriguing conversation, wouldn’t you say?”

Edelgard’s trembling lips parted in horror and shock, her pupils dilated and the books beneath her arms fell back to the ground once more with an echoing thud. 

  
  


**-o0o-**

For the first time ever, Dimitri had argued with his family.

It had always been him begging them to stop screaming and resigning to extra training or studying even when he felt exhausted. Tonight, however he was being defiant. 

“You’re being blinded by infatuation,” Lambert snarled gruffly from the bed as he glared at Dimitri’s pacing form. 

Dimitri shook his head firmly. “You’re wrong, Father. She’s telling the truth, I can see it in her eyes.”

“You saw what you  _ wanted  _ to see,” Patricia said from the room’s corner. “Lambert is right, your love has blinded you from the truth.”

Dimitri stopped before her and demanded, “Stepmother, how could you of all people believe she would do this?”

“The proof is before you, Dimitri.  _ I _ don’t refuse to see it, daughter or not.”

_ “What _ proof?” Dimitri exclaimed. “She’s working with them simply due to circumstance, I saw it with my own eyes the night she nearly died. They wouldn’t have a pawn do something as serious as killing a king!”

“You know that for a fact?” Glenn asked from his spot leaning against the door. 

“N-no,” Dimitri admitted with a frustrated breath. “But I know in my hearts of hearts, just as surely as I know the sun will rise every morning that El would  _ never  _ do something so heinous.”

“This isn’t  _ El,  _ son,” Lambert reminded him. “This is  _ Edelgard,  _ someone you are just beginning to get to know.”

“It doesn’t matter, she didn’t have anything to do with Duscur, I know it!” Dimitri insisted. Not her, not the girl who understood more than anything the agony of losing loved ones, who listened to his pain when he was still practically a stranger to her, who loved treats, hated horrible plays and screamed curses to the Goddess because she’d let an innocent girl suffer so. 

“I know it,” he repeated firmly. “I’ll find The Flame Emperor, but it isn’t her.” 

“She has  _ blinded  _ you, Dimitri,” Patricia said with a look of pity. 

“There’s only one way to free you of her curse,” Glenn said. 

“Killing her,” Lambert uttered, levelling Dimitri with a serious look. 

Dimitri gritted his teeth and clenched his fists at his sides before barking,  _ “No!” _

All the ghosts jolted, faces twisted in shock. A part of Dimitri was shocked and horrified as well but he ignored it. “You may ask me to train until my body aches in every region, you may ask me to research until my energy is fully spent but you will  _ not  _ ask me to kill my friend!” 

He’d expected them to scream back at him or torment him with visions until he fell to his knees in apology. 

Instead, when Dimitri blinked next they had dissipated. 

It was only then that he realized what he’d done. “Oh Goddess…” he whispered, clutching at his hair with shaking hands and falling onto his bed. 

He...he just…

Oh  _ no. _

There was a loud  _ snap  _ that jolted him out of his stupor and he blinked several times before he had returned to his present state in the Dining Hall. 

“Aye, he’s back, ladies and gents!” Sylvain said triumphantly as he pulled his snapping fingers from Dimitri’s face and sat back down. 

“Forgive me,” Dimitri said with a weak smile. “What were we talking about?”

“I just heard the church is starting a choir group!” Mercedes supplied with a bright smile and clasped hands. “I think I want to sign up.”

“I do too!” Annette said. “I think it’d be nice to finally be able sing...um,  _ un-weird  _ songs, y’know?”

“There’s nothing weird about your songs,” Felix stated offhandedly, and the entire table turned towards him with various looks of surprise. 

Felix glared back.  _ “What?” _

“You think?” Annette said gingerly. “I mean they’re all a bit— _ wait!  _ How do you know what they sound like? I only sing them in private!”

Sylvain grinned broadly despite the warning scowl Felix was giving him. However before the incoming teasing could ensue, Dimitri quickly said, “Ah, Sylvain! I have a question for you.”

Sylvain turned from Felix to Dimitri and raised an eyebrow. “Me? Is it a girl question?”

“Well...I suppose,” Dimitri figured. “I wanted to give Edelgard something and I need gift inspiration.” 

“What about flowers?” Ashe suggested as he sat beside Ingrid with a plate of pancakes. “You could use a flower language dictionary and make her a specialized bouquet!”

“A language of flowers?” Dedue questioned curiously. “I have never heard of such a thing.”

“There is! It can vary from region and religion but—“

“Ah, ah, ah,” Sylvain said, waving his hands through the air. “Friends, this is  _ Edelgard  _ we’re talking about here. Just from looking at her you can get the immediate sense that she’s a woman who desires  _ passion.” _

“I see,” Dimitri said with a thoughtful nod. “What do you suggest I give her in that case?”

Sylvain smiled slyly and shrugged. “Oh, I dunno. Maybe a little bit of…” he took a croissant from his plate and pushed it into his mouth, sucking the drizzled chocolate off it. 

Ingrid looked up from the book she was reading and glared at Sylvain before slamming it shut and smacking him across the face with it. 

“Ow!” Sylvain cried indignantly as Felix followed this up with a hard kick to the red-head’s shin from where he sat across from him. He let out another squawk as an idea sprang into Dimitri’s head. 

“Pastries! That’s right, Edelgard likes sweets,” he said. 

“Me and Annie can help you bake some,” Mercedes suggested. “Does Edelgard have a preference in delicacies?”

“Not...that I’m aware of,” Dimitri mused. 

“Then we can make a bit of everything!” Annette said excitedly. “Oh, oh! What if you guys had a tea party?”

Dimitri smiled brighter. “That’s a lovely idea! And Ashe and Dedue, you can help me with the flowers. All I have to do is plan with—Edelgard!”

Dimitri turned and called out with a raised hand of greeting as the princess entered the Dining Hall, a cheerful redhead skipping beside her. 

Edelgard glanced at him and the redhead followed suit with a broad smile. Sharply, the girl changed course and dragged Edelgard with her, Dimitri now seeing that their arms were linked in a seemingly friendly manner. 

“Why  _ hello there!”  _ The redhead said in a shrill happy voice. “You must be the Blue Lions.”

Sylvain gave the girl a mixture of a pained wince and charming smile as he rubbed the back of his head where a bruise was most likely forming. “Hello to you too, gorgeous! Don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

“That’s cause you haven’t! C’mon, introduce me, Edel!” The girl said, jabbing Edelgard sharply in the ribs. 

Edelgard flinched before monotonously stating, “This is Monica.”

“I was in last year’s class but was called back before grad,” Monica added. “Homeschooling,  _ such  _ a bore.” She rolled her eyes before locking eyes with Dimitri, her smile somehow broadening. “You must be Prince Dimitri! Edel’s told me  _ so  _ much about you—isn’t that right, Edel?”

Edelgard swallowed and nodded shortly. “Right.”

Dimitri frowned at Edelgard’s body language. Had he angered her more than he perceived last night or…? He turned to the Monica girl and felt a twinge of distrust. The seemingly disingenuous smile, the controlling manner in which she regarded Edelgard—just who was she?

“What’d you wanna talk to her about?” She continued innocently. 

“I just...wanted to invite Ede;gard to tea,” Dimitri said, glancing warily at Monica before turning back to Edelgard. “As an apology for the night prior.”

Edelgard’s eyes widened in surprise but she couldn’t answer before Monica said, “She’s  _ busy.  _ Right, Edel?”

Edelgard gave Monica a sideways glance that was thinly veiled as a glare before turning back to Dimitri and saying, “Right,” a note of resignation in her voice.

Monica dug her nails into Edelgard’s forearm as her smile strained in an almost painful manner before dragging her off again, leaving no time for Dimitri to respond. 

That was their last real “conversation” for two months. 

He didn’t blame Edelgard however, in fact for once he didn’t think he was to blame either. That girl, Monica followed her around everywhere—from classes to meals, and even to her room. And the rare times Edelgard wasn’t attached to the hip with that girl, she was somewhere nearby, watching. 

Dimitri couldn’t say for sure...and obviously he couldn’t ask Edelgard but he had in inkling she was one of  _ them.  _ It made sense, did it not? Immediately after the library incident she’d appeared out of the blue following around like a clearly unwanted bodyguard if the disdainful looks Edelgard constantly shot her said anything, and it explained why she had wanted to speak somewhere else when they last truly spoke; she probably knew there were evesdroppers afoot. 

And he had ignored her. 

...perhaps this was his fault after all. 

Classes had started soon after The Battle of Eagle and Lion however, so at least he had something to occupy his mind that wasn’t Edelgrad or the worrying absence of his family. Just how badly had he angered them? And would they forgive him eventually? 

The training dummy fell to the sand covered arena with a thud, straw decorating the ground as Dimitri stepped back with a pant and wiped the sweat from his brow. 

Maybe it was a mistake to push Edelgard about The Mages and Duscur. He’d just so badly needed to know—his  _ family  _ had needed to know. But now neither could speak with him.

“Burning the midnight oil, Your Highness?”

Dimitri paused in his action of walking towards another dummy and turned with a smile to the familiar voice. “Hello, Sylvain, what are you doing up?”

Sylvain grinned from his spot leaning against the entrance. “Oh, y’know, found a pretty lady and—”

Dimitri held up a hand and winced, “Ah, you know what? Nevermind. Is there something you needed?”

“Nope! Got  _ all  _ the satisfaction I needed for tonight. But I do think  _ you  _ need something,” Sylvain said, standing up straight and walking towards Dimitri.

Dimitri frowned curiously. “Oh?” 

“Girl help! What happened with you and Edelgard, Your Highness? I thought there were sparks flying between you two!” he said with a pat to the shoulder and a shake of his head.

“Oh,” Dimitri said in realization as he looked away. “Edelgard she—I believe she needs some space again.” Especially if Monica was who he feared she was; doing anything to get Edelgard alone and receive an explanation could potentially endanger her. 

“No, what she  _ actually  _ needs is proof that you care,” Sylvain corrected him. “Girls like to know that they’re on your mind 24/7 and all you need is a simple little gesture to set their hearts a flutter!”

Dimitri made a noise of uncertainty, and stared contemplatively at the sandy ground. Would doing something like that in front of Monica be a bad idea? Then again it was only a small gesture and Edelgard  _ had  _ seemed stressed for the past few weeks; perhaps a reaffirmation of their friendship was exactly what she needed now. “But...what if she’s asleep?”

“Leave a card with your gift and put it on the vanity, girls eat that romantic stuff up!”

“Romance isn’t the goal, Sylvain. I only want to cheer her up.” 

Sylvain snorted and said,  _ “Riiiiight,  _ so are we doing this, or not?”

Dimitri hesitated before sighed and said, “Well, alright.”

Sylvain grinned and clapped a hand on his shoulder again. “Excellent choice, Your Highness! You can give her some flowers from the greenhouse—simple and sweet.” 

“But you told me Edelgard wouldn’t like flowers, that she was a woman of  _ passion  _ as you put it.”

“Yeah, sorry, Your Highness but you don’t have the charm to pull off giving your girl dick after a two month hiatus,” Sylvain said apologetically. 

“Di—Sylvain,  _ what?!”  _ Dimitri spluttered as his cheeks burned red. “Why? Why in the  _ Goddess’s holy name  _ would you put that image in my head?!”

Sylvain snickered. “Sorry, you’re too fun to fluster.”

As Sylvain had suggested, Dimitri had decided to give Edelgard flowers seeing as how the bakeries in town would no doubt be closed at the hour. He was on his way to the Greenhouse when a cluster of vivid red flowers growing beside the docks caught his eye.

He paused, kneeling beside them and smiling at their contrast of midnight black and crimson red—poppies, he realized. 

He cut the stems with the tip of his sword and held them aloft with a pleased smile before discreetly entering the kitchens for a vase. 

However when he made it to Edelgard’s room with a vase in hand with a swiftly written card tucked between the stems of the poppies when he paused. 

What was he even doing? How intrusive and rude would it be to just sneak in while she was sleeping just to leave her something? Wouldn’t she be far more freaked out than flattered? Maybe he should just wait until tomorrow and— 

From beneath the door, he saw a flash of magenta. He recognized that light, it was the light used when warping. So she  _ was  _ awake then?

Squaring his shoulders Dimitri raised his fist to knock but paused when an eerily familiar voice growled, “Bastards.”

He knew all too well who that voice belonged to.

  
  
  


**-o0o-**

  
  


They hadn’t experimented on her again like Edelgard had feared—but what happened to her instead was hardly any mercy.

She watched Johnathan die again; the first of her siblings to succumb to the experimentations. They’d all been there when it happened, as his body convulsed atop the operation table and froth spilled from his mouth while he gasped for air. 

Edelgard had watched in paralyzed horror as her brother began to let out strangled screams of agony, the veins beneath his sickly pale skin taught and prominent against his flesh. Agnes had covered her eyes then, and though Edelgard could no longer see, she could  _ hear  _ the sound of popping and the sound of blood trickling to the floor as Johnathan let out one final screech of agony.

Sebastien burst into tears and Rowen vomited nearby as one of the horrifying pale men—Solon—clicked his tongue and sighed. “What a shame—he didn’t even leave any of himself left to tinker with. Incinerate him.”

Edelgard pulled down at her older sister’s now limp hand to see and immediately wished she hadn’t—Johnathan had been reduced to a clump of mangled flesh, eyeballs hanging from his sockets and blood gushing from his now open chest cavity.

She shrieked and burst into delirious sobs as one of the scary bird men wheeled Johnathan to a window and pressed something. The windowed wall slid open and he slid his corpse inside before shutting it again. Finally, he pressed something else on the wall and the room burst into flames.

“JOHNNY!” Edelgard screamed, dashing forward and throwing herself at the glass, those men grabbed her arms and pulled her back as Solon said, “The little spit fire is next. Her body seems to take it better than the rest.” 

Her other siblings screamed in horror and tried getting to her but it was no use, the bird men were pushing them back with magic and Edelgad was being strapped kicking and screaming onto the table just like the first night she’d been here. 

A needle was just being positioned at her arm when the scene melted away. 

Her body was curled in a fetal position atop a familiar crimson carpet and tears were lining her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. “Had enough, niece?” Arundel asked calmly from where he sat on his study chair. 

Edelgrad inhaled shakily and closed her eyes, more tears slipping free as she nodded silently. 

“Good,” Arundel said and nodded towards Myson who removed his hand from Edelgard’s scalp and bowed before leaving the room and shutting the study door behind him.

“Now,” Arundel said as Edelgard pushed herself shakily to her feet and staggered towards the nearest seat, mind reeling from what she had just been forced to relive. “I’m not so disappointed in the fact that you told Dimitri of us that I am disappointed that you were inclined to spill our secrets.”

“I  _ told  _ you,” Edelgard said in a harsh whisper as she wiped her eyes with the back of her gloved hands. “All I did was confirm suspicions he already—”

“As I said,” Arundel cut her off. “It’s not what you did, it’s the concept behind it—you were willing to sing like a bird the moment you let someone get close to you. It was inevitable that Dimitri would learn of us given his position and role in our plans but this...this flippancy with our secrets.” 

“It won’t happen again,” Edelgard croaked. “I promise.”

“No, it won’t,” Arundel agreed. “From now on, you’ll be chaperoned by Kronya. Any missteps and she will report directly to me, understood? And I promise you, I won’t be so lenient next time.”

_ Lenient.  _ Arundel thought forcing her to relive her elder brother’s death was  _ leniency.  _

She hated him. She.  _ Hated. Him.  _

But there was nothing to be done, so for two months after, Kronya was forced to be her shadow—her obnoxiously smug and snidely remarking shadow that successfully deterred any possible conversation with anyone who wasn’t a blasted Agarthan during a meeting concerning the rapidly upcoming war.

She couldn’t coax Bernadetta out of her room or drag Lindhart back to class or chat with Dorthea—she couldn’t even stay long enough in class for Ferdiand to brag about something or challenge her to some ludicrous competition. 

Worst of all, she couldn’t find a spell to wipe Byleth’s memories without revealing her slip up to Kronya. And so with each day that went by, Edelgard dreaded the one where Byleth would open her eyes. 

She hadn’t been forced to do any more tasks until the final week of the Red Wolf Moon in a small village named Remire. She was just to watch and observe to ensure everything went smoothly, as was Arundel’s instructions.

To put it bluntly— _ “everything”  _ was horrific.

From her perch atop a ridge she watched the village being burnt down by madmen and women, while the sane villagers fled for their lives and screamed for aid. One man tripped and fell to the ground, an insane woman raising her blade to end his life when Captain Jeralt charged forwards and slammed the pommel of his sword against her skull and sent her cashing to the ground.

He pointed at one of the Golden Deer and yelled something unintelligible as he gestured with his head towards the two villagers. Edelgard then turned away from the scene towards Tomas who watched the chaos with a broad and delighted grin. She scoffed from within her mask—what was this apocalyptic scene supposed to accomplish except more needless misery?

Still, she did as she was told and watched the battle unfold; a silent sentry in crimson armour, axe hoisted over her shoulder in case she was needed. 

She rolled her eyes when Tomas foolishly decided to reveal his true identity instead of keeping hidden, and watched with a mild sense of entertainment as a man looking to be in his mid-forties and a group of teenagers forced him to retreat.

Pathetic.

With her job over, she disappeared with a flash of magenta and reappeared in her room. Even though she technically didn’t do anything...seeing that carnage was— 

Again, there was nothing to be done. If this was what it took to free Fodlan from the clutch of Crests then so be it. There should’ve been another way,  _ could  _ have been, had it not been for  _ them. _

“Bastards,” Edelgard growled as she reached up and unlocked her mask, breathing in fresh air and shaking her hair out of the suit's tight confines. She unlatched the other parts of the armour and let them clank to the wooden floor before her door slammed open.

She gasped, turning around and freezing. 

Dimitri stared at the scene before him with wide eyes, gaze slowly falling to the floor littered in armour pieces before finally landing on the two toned mask. He inhaled shakily, the vase in his hand falling and shattering as water seeped into the floorboards. 

Oh no… 

Edelgard held up her hands placatingly as he slowly looked up at her, face twitching and the murkiness creeping back into his eyes. “Dimitri—”

Dimitri’s lips slowly twisted into a lopsided grin as he let out a breathy laugh, body shaking and tears lining his eyes. 

“Dimitri…” Edelgard tried again. “Listen—”

With a roar Dimitri lunged at her, hands wrapping around her throat and slamming her to the wall. Edelgard gasped for breath, clawing desperately at his gauntlet covered wrists as her vision began to blur. “D-Dimitri…”

“They were right,” he hissed, squeezing tighter. Her pulse thundered in her ears as her shaking hand reached towards her hip, fingers brushing against her dagger. “I defended you and they were  _ right.” _

Edelgard tugged her dagger out and stabbed the blade into Dimitri’s forearm. He flinched, barely slackening his grip but it was enough. Lighting her hands with electricity she slammed her palm against his chest and sent him crashing to the ground.

He hit the floorboards with a thud, twitching and gasping in pain as Edelgard leapt over him and slammed her room door shut. By the time she’d spun around again, Dimitri was back on his feet and unsheathing his sword, attempting to slash at her face with a war cry.

Edelgard quickly held up her hands and produced a small barrier that cracked under the force of Dimitri’s swing and slammed her against the door with a grunt. “Dimitri!  _ Listen to me!” _ She exclaimed.

“How can I listen to a single word you say when you looked me in the eye and  _ lied to me!”  _ Dimitri snapped back, raising his sword again for another strike. Edelagrd ducked, knowing her barrier couldn’t take another hit and rolled beneath his legs, standing swiftly and spinning for her dagger to clash with his sword.

Their blades sang in the enclosed darkness of the room and the impact sent soundwaves down her arm. “I didn’t lie,” she ground out. “I had nothing to do with Duscur—!”

“And yet you possess the armour of my father’s murderer!” Dimitri spat, powering his Crest and forcing Edelgard back. She staggered and stumbled against the wall once more, unable to regain her bearings before Dimitri pressed his blade tip pressed against her throat.

“Why?” He said, voice still dark and gravely but now tinged in sadness. He gritted his teeth and shook his head as one of the tears resting in his eyes slid down his cheek. “Why did it have to be you?”

Edelgard shook her head as much as she could while having a sharp object poking her neck. “It’s  _ not—” _

_ “Liar!”  _ Dimitri thundered, slamming his fist into the wood and creating a sizable hole. “You told me you had nothing to do with Duscur. I  _ believed you!” _

“I wasn’t there!” 

“Yes. You. WHERE! I saw you! I saw you as you killed him! You—you—!” Dimitri’s shoulders shook as he began to sob. “You took  _ everything from me!  _ You and your monstrous friends!”

“They are  _ not  _ my friends! You saw!  _ You saw  _ them nearly kill me!” Edelgard yelled, feeling her frustration singe her blood and send adrenaline coursing through her veins. “I wear his armour but I am  _ not  _ Lambert Blaiddyd’s killer—!” 

_ “Shut up!”  _ Dimitri growled, pressing the blade further against Edelgard’s throat and causing blood to trickle down. “You lying,  _ conniving—”  _

“How could I have been there when  _ they were torturing me underneath the palace!?”  _ Edelgard screamed furiously, causing Dimitri to pause in his tirade.

He furrowed his brow. “What are you on about?” He demanded. 

“Forgotten, have you?” Edelgard spat venomously as she tore her glove off and showed him the scars of her hand bathed in moonlight.

_ “They  _ did—? No. No, you said Arundel…” his voice trailed off realization lighting his eyes. 

“Not Arundel,” Edelgard said, cramming her hand back into her glove. “Thales.”

Dimitri narrowed his eyes before slowly, slowly lowering his sword from her neck, however it was still raised at the ready. “You have The Flame—”

_ “Yes,  _ Dimitri we’ve established that, haven’t we?” Edelgard said sardonically as she strode around him to the scattered pieces of armour scattering the ground and paying no mind to the sword still trained at her back.  _ “This,”  _ she said, kicking the helm. “Isn’t  _ mine.  _ It was given to me as a disguise when carrying out menial tasks. She spun around to face him and threw her hands up with a bitter laugh. “But the truth doesn’t matter to you, does it, Dimitri?”

Dimitri scowled.  _ “Of course  _ it—”

“Oh! So  _ that’s  _ why you refused to stop when I was trying to give you an explanation?”

Dimitri looked away, finally lowering his sword completely as Edelgard continued, “But I suppose it was easier this way, wasn’t it Dimitri? To jump to conclusions even after  _ everything  _ I—” Edelgard stopped and continued again, “You were simply looking for any excuse to finally put in an end to your delusions—”

“They are  _ not  _ delusions!” Dimitri snapped as he turned back to her with a glare. 

“No,” Edelgard agreed. “Simply the byproduct of your hopelessly fractured mind, did I get that right?” 

“Don’t you dare disrespect my family—!”

“They are  _ dead!  _ They are dead and instead of moving on you cling to them like—!” She paused in her tirade to take in a deep calming breath before turning away from him. She needed to reign in her emotions, exploding like this was— 

“I don’t understand you either,” Dimitri said from behind her. “If Arundel is one of— _ them  _ then you’re still working with him after he killed your siblings! How?  _ Why?” _

Edelgard glared at him from over her shoulder, “Some of us have actual, tangible things to fight for, Dimitri. And we— _ I  _ am willing to go through any and every trial to win.” 

Confusion marred Dimitri’s face as Edelgard turned back to him again and said, “No, of course you don’t understand. You can’t see beyond your hatred and your desire for vengeance.  _ I  _ can.”

“What is so important that you would align yourself with a monster?” Dimitri demanded in bafflement. 

Edelgard stared at him for a few moments before answering, “Saving Fódlan.” 

If anything, Dimitri looked even more confused and Edelgard frustratingly demanded, “You can’t tell me you don’t see a problem with it! The obsession with Crests, the overreliance on the church and The Goddess to fix your problems— _ all of it! _ Look at Faerghus, can you truly tell me that it’s perfect? That its system is fine the way it is?”

Dimitri hesitated before conceding, “No.”

“And that’s what I aim to fix,” Edelgard said. “I’m going to tear everything that holds this corrupt society together from the ground and start a new world.”

Dimitri scoffed. “And you’ll be doing that with the help of torturers and murderers?”

“It’s...not ideal,” Edelgard admitted. “But—”

“What could  _ they  _ help you do that you as future emperor cannot do on your own?”

“They have powerful people among their ranks, weapons the like nobody has ever seen—if I am to be their puppet then—”

“Why would you need powerful people and eldritch weapons?” Dimitri demanded. “What…” he paused as the second realization of the night hit him. “You’re planning—”

“A war,” Edelgard said with a nod. “Yes. It’s the only way to unite the continent and purge it of its impurities.”

Dimitri’s confusion morphed into horror as he sank to Edeldard’s bed. “You mean to...conquer all of Fódlan?”

“I do.”

“You’re working with your tormentors because you want  _ power?” _

Edelgard shook her head in frustration. “I  _ told  _ you already what my plans are, it’s not for power it’s for—”

_ “This  _ is your plan to ‘save Fódlan?’ To create orphans and widows? To sow resentment with your people?” Dimitri cried. “Edelgard that is  _ ludicrous!”  _

“I have a plan to make my people’s lives better, and if they hate me for it, so be it,” Edelgard said sharply. “What are  _ you  _ going to do to fix Faergus? If war is so wrong then what?”

“Diplomacy!” Dimitri exclaimed. “Extending a hand to—”

“Your father tried that. Where did that get him?” Edelgard questioned. Dimitri stood sharply from the bed and glared down at her, but Edelard met his gaze unflinchingly as she continued, “The Agarthans—the people who took your father—and the church have their claws deep in Fódlan’s heart. Do you truly believe they will allow you take away their control with a few articulate words and a Seiros hymn?”

Dimitri opened his mouth and closed it before saying, “Even if that’s true, a war is not the way.”

“Then what is?” Edelgard challenged. “Pray tell, Dimitri because if you have a better solution…”

“It isn’t  _ this,”  _ Dimitri said firmly. 

“Then  _ what?”  _ Edelgard repeated. “When your coronation comes, when you swear fealty to your people, when the weight of that crown rests upon your head, what will you do to improve your people’s livelihoods?” 

Dimitri was silent, words finally failing him as he closed his eyes and heaved a heavy sigh. Moments later however, he opened his eyes again and gave her a gaze of fire. “I am  _ not  _ dragging my people into a slaughter for the sake of delusions of grandeur.”

Edelgard stepped closer to him until she could see her reflection in his blue eyes as she said. “So you will do nothing. You will allow more Miklans to run rampant, you will allow people like your retainer to continue being a victim of prejudice, and you will be naught but a footnote in the pages of history because all you’ll do is sit on your throne and converse with the ghosts of your past.” 

Dimitri stiffened, but said nothing as he turned on his heel and marched towards the door, crunching the shattered glass of the vase and trampling over the forgotten poppy flowers. As he turned the knob and opened the door, he looked over his shoulder and said, “I pity, Adrestia. Their ruler is a heartless, immoral, warmonger.” 

Edelgard tilted her chin upwards defiantly and shot pack, “And I pity Faerghus. Their ruler is a mindless, conforming, coward.” 

Dimitri narrowed his eyes, hands tightening and denting the doorknob before he finally left, slamming the door shut behind him. 

  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Look, I’m SORRY but we all knew this was coming right?
> 
> Anyway, I realized that I’ve had three Edelgard Torture chapters in a row which is uh...OOF. So the next chap will be a bit happier for her—even if her relationship with Dimitri is kinda sorta on the rocks right now.
> 
> We’re also nearing the end of Part I and I am SO excited to show it to you guys what I have planned for the finale! But for now, very important question: 
> 
> Eyepatch Dimitri or Crimson Flower Dimitri? I promise this is actually super important to the story and NOT just for aesthetic purposes!
> 
> See you guys soon! 
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	20. The Living

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Wanted this posted yesterday but womp, womp life got in the way...again.
> 
> This is the first in the last few chapters before of Part One before jump into Part Two and I am excited to show you guys that finale!
> 
> Oh! And you'll also be getting chapters everyday until day five so there's that too! :D
> 
> I won't be responding to any reviews for quite a bit because I plan on giving the same treatment to all my other stories but don't fret! I WILL respond eventually!
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy chapter twenty!

Edelgard's words were a parasite. A wiggling, writhing, devouring _thing_ that dominated his mind for the entirety of the night.

" _...you can't see beyond your hatred and your desire for vengeance…."_

" _...you will be naught but a footnote in the pages of history because all you'll do is sit on your throne and converse with the ghosts of your past."_

" _...I pity Faerghus. Their ruler is a mindless, conforming, coward."_

Dimitri's fingers clenched his sheets tightly as frustration boiled his blood once more, but just like the dozens and dozens of times he'd felt this exact same feeling from these exact same words, the anger subsided into resignation.

Because Edelgard was right—he _was_ a weapon for his loved ones and nothing more. And he wasn't ashamed of that, he would never be, but he couldn't champion the dead and the living simultaneously, now could he?

But then who was _she_ to call him a poor ruler? She who desired a war, she who was uncaring of the suffering of the masses so long as she reached her goals?

Edelgard wanted Fódlan. Edelgard wanted Faerghus. His _people_ would be ruled under her. How could he accept that knowing now how... _heartless_ she was?

And why did she insist he was mad? Why did she keep downplaying the importance of his loved ones? Not once, not _ever_ had he done such a thing to _her_ family and he never so much as dreamed about it!

And so the cycle continued until dawn had spilled through his windows and showered the room in gold—anger, resignation, anger...

Dimitri sighed heavily as he warily rolled to his side and pushed into a sitting position. There was no point in trying to sleep now.

He spent no time dusting makeup over the heavy circles under his eyes before straightening the rest of himself up and putting on his uniform. Even then, those cursed words followed him just as surely as his ghosts had before they inexplicably disappeared two months prior.

Dimitri didn't even bother with breakfast, his stomach not even remotely desiring food. Instead he went early to The Blue Lions classroom and waited for everyone there.

And sitting alone in the silence, the cycle continued anew.

He contemplated what to do with that revelation—go to Rhea?

As soon as the thought crossed his mind he saw Edelgard kneeled in the courtyard, executioners' axe falling at her neck—

Dimitri hissed sharply and shook his head to rid his mind of that awful image. He was angry with her—angry about what she planned to do to his beloved country, her words against his father and family—but he didn't want her dead, he didn't want to be _the cause_ of her death most of all.

But if he kept it a secret...would that be _him_ instead kneeling in the courtyard? _His_ neck bent and prepared for the executioners' axe?

Did he even care if he got executed? _(no)_

He didn't know how long he sat there, but soon enough, the Blue Lions filled the classroom.

"Ooh I'm all jittery!" Annette was gushing to Mercedes. "In front of all those people I mean—"

"It's still a week away, Annie, we have time, don't worry!" Mercedes said kindly as Ashe stumbled in with a tired yawn.

"Are you feeling alright, Ashe? Ingrid asked as she took her seat.

Ashe yawned again and said, "I lost track of time in the library and it got late...erm...too late for me so I...slept there. Unfortunately, books don't make very good beds," he said sheepishly with a flush. "Hopefully Tom—ah that's right," Ashe's sheepish smile became a sad frown. "He's…well."

"Are you speaking of Tomas?" Dimitri questioned, turning in his seat to look at Ashe with a concerned frown. "Did something happen?"

"He has revealed himself to be an enemy and powerful dark mage," Dedue said from beside Dimitri. "Everyone was speaking of it in the Dining Hall."

Tomas? An enemy?

His mind then went to Edelgard's seeming distaste with the man, the way she'd been worried about the library being dangerous and how he now had revealed himself as a powerful dark mage...

Tomas had been one of them too—an Agarthan as Edelgard said. He knew it in his bones.

Dimitri's fists clenched tightly atop his lap and he struggled to intake calm breaths. All that kindness and he was nothing more but another bastard.

"I know it sounds mean, but I'm kinda not surprised," Annette said from the very back of the class. "He kinda always creeped me out," she finished as Professor Jeritza strode elegantly into class.

"Hello. We will speak of death today," He said simply as he sat atop the desk and blinked blandly at everyone, eyes locking on Dimitri and flashing like they always did.

It never stopped being unnerving for Dimitri, and it was enough to force his anger to morph into unease and apprehension as he forced himself to sit straight in attention.

"Speaking of creepy guys," Annette muttered and Mercedes quickly gave her a chiding shush.

"By the end of this class...you will have written a beautiful and thought provoking essay on _death._ Question?" Professor Jeritza said as Ingrid raised her hand.

"Professor, why do we have to write an essay on death?" The blonde questioned with a frown.

"Because without fear of death you are free to battle," Jeritza said as he strode forward, hands clasped behind his back. "And only then can you truly show your true might, dance perfect—"

Jeritza paused, eyes zeroing in on two empty desks before narrowing. "I am missing students."

A second later, Sylvain dashed in with, "Sorry Professor!" Before unceremoniously throwing himself in his seat.

"And the other?"

"Oh, Felix? Training Grounds," Sylvain said distractedly as he dug his writing utensils out of his book bag.

Jeritza made a noise of unamusement before saying, "Somebody retrieve him so we may continue."

Dimitri stood to complete the request with a smile and an assurance, "Not to worry, Professor. I will bring him." Anything to get away from Jeritza's gaze—and his cycling torment wheeling in his mind.

It of course continued to circle his mind as he walked across the expansive lawn and towards the towering building near the dorms, and he sighed forlornly.

At least it completed one of his objectives—Jeritza wasn't staring at him.

Once he'd made it to the Training Grounds, Dimitri called, "Felix?"

Felix was in the midst of a sword fighting pattern, sweat glistening on his brow and sand churning and flying beneath his boots. "What?" He grunted, not stopping his movements.

"Professor Jeritza requires your presence," Dimitri said, stepping further into the Training Grounds as Felix's invisible opponent led him to the other side of the arena.

Felix frowned, spun, and pointed his training sword at Dimitri's throat to finish off his pattern. Dimitri flinched in surprise and stepped back. "I don't care," The swordsman said.

Dimitri sighed. "Felix, I know you aren't fond of him," he said, stepping away from the blunt edged weapon. "But eccentric teachings are still better than none at all, no?"

"Hmph. I suppose" Felix muttered, walking to the weapon rack and returning his training sword. "You can leave now, Boar; I'd rather not spend more time than absolutely necessary with you."

Dimitri flinched and looked away. It wasn't the fist and it certainly would not be the last time Felix called him a boar. But for some inexplicable reason it stung more than usual.

" _...a mindless, conforming, coward."_

Who was he kidding? Of course he knew why.

"Felix—I...wish—I would prefer if you wouldn't—"

"What? Tell the truth?" Felix demanded, glaring over his shoulder.

All words died on Dimitri's tongue because really, what could he say to that? It _was_ the truth and now even El saw it.

"Just because your Dog—"

"Don't insult Dedue!" Dimitri snapped, sad resignation morphing into angry indignation. "He is a kind and loyal man!"

Felix scoffed and slammed the wooden sword in its rack, back turned to Dimitri. "There's a very, _very_ big difference between loyalty and being a complacent puppet."

Dimitri scowled and shook his head. "Dedue is no puppet."

"Oh _of course not_ just a yes-man to stroke your ego," Felix sneered. He turned back around and strode over to the prince, stopping just before him as he growled, "A man who has no limit of things he'd do for your sake."

"I—"

"I spoke with him the other day. Do you know what he said? He would plow through innocents, and give away his life just because he felt obligated to do it! And you wouldn't do _anything_ to stop it."

"I don't condone Dedue sacrificing anything for my sake, I don't condone _anyone_ throwing away what matters to them for me!" Dimitri cried.

"And that's all you ever do, Boar Prince," Felix scoffed, stepping back and crossing his arms. "You ' _don't condone'_. You don't challenge anyone's deluded beliefs, you don't stop them, you just _disagree_."

"It's not my place to tell people how they live their lives," Dimitri said firmly. "I don't like it that Dedue—or anyone would die for me but I haven't the right to stop them if that's what they believe is right."

"And there you go again, acting like your selfishness is _noble_. Brave, good people have fallen for you and all you can say is 'it's not my business.'" Felix laughed bitterly and gave Dimitri a hate filled snarl. "They're gone, they're never coming back. They're loved ones will never talk or spend time with them _ever again_ and all so a bloodthirsty prince could live and allow the same cycle to happen all over again. You _disgust me."_

Dimitri opened his mouth, then closed it. His eyes fell downcast to the sandy floor and he swallowed shakily. "Felix—I know this is...Glenn he—"

" _Shut up!"_ Felix yelled, shoving Dimitri hard in the chest and forcing him back. "If you _ever_ say his name again I will—" Felix cut himself off, taking in a deep breath before taking several steps back.

Dimitri squeezed his eyes shut, trying and failing to keep the tears at bay. "I—I'm—"

The large doors opened and Sylvain poked his head in. "Felix? Your Highness? The Professor is getting antsy..."

The red-head paused, brown eyes flickering between the two boys before he winced. "Do you guys—yeah I'm just going to let you sort this out—"

"I was just leaving," Felix said cooly, not even sparing Dimitri a glance as he left the Training Grounds.

"Hey," Sylvain said to Dimitri with a frown as Felix breezed past. "You alright?"

Dimitri wiped away the tears and gave Sylvain a forced smile. "Yes," he lied.

Sylvain clearly didn't buy it if his growing frown was any indication, but he blessedly changed the subject with a sly smile. "How about you tell me how your night with the princess went, in that case?"

Dimitri's false smile slipped and he looked away. "I—let's just return to class. Please."

Maybe Edelgard wasn't the Flame Emperor he was looking for, but what she truly was was hardly better. Edelgard was going to kill millions and she didn't seem to care so long as she had Fódlan in her clutches.

Dimitri sighed softly as he stepped out of the Training Grounds, eyes finding her hunched form from within the Eagles classroom. If she didn't hand her over to Rhea, he would no doubt have to kill her eventually—in the battle field when she tried to pry Faerghus from his fingers.

"Why did it have to be you, El?" Dimitri whispered hoarsely.

Why did the Goddess despise him so?

**-o0o-**

_Heartless._

Edelgard scoffed as she glared at the black board and wrote its contents vigorously down with her quill.

He had no idea what he spoke of, _none._ The fact that she had looked at Fódlan and desired to heal its wounds proved far, far otherwise from what he was saying! But no, Dimitri could not see past the casualties, he could only see the future orphans and widows.

No. No actually that was giving him too much credit, wasn't it? What Dimitri _truly_ couldn't see passed was his own blasted—

The quill tip snapped and Edelgard flinched in surprise. Manuela raised her head drunkenly from her desk and slurred, "Was gone on?"

"Apologies, My Teacher," Edelgard said, about to reach into her bag for an extra quill, only for one to be thrust into her face.

"Here, Edel! Use mine," Kronya said with an overly sugary smile from the desk beside her.

Edelgard glared at her and snatched the writing utensil, going back to her work as Manuela asked, "Monica why're you not writing the notes?"

Kronya smiled innocently and said, "I don't feel the need to, Professor."

Manuela snorted and rested her head back on the table grumbling, "It's _your_ ed-cation."

As the woman went back to napping, Kronya leaned towards Edelgard with a smirk. "Trouble in paradise?"

Edelgard swallowed thickly but didn't answer.

"Y'know that's why he's a pawn and not a player, right?" Kronya continued while Edelgard ignored her.

But Kronya _was_ right. And Edelgard had known from the very start Dimitri would never join her—and yet she had wanted to get close to him anyway.

She _still,_ even now, wanted to walk with him by her side, with his kind expressive eyes and his caring words and enjoyable companionship.

If he wasn't such a _coward—_ she just wanted him to understand. Why couldn't he just _understand_ what needed to be done? Why was he so willing to just do _nothing_ out of convenience? His flippant attitude was the _epitome_ of everything wrong with Fódlan!

Edelgard closed her eyes and sighed. She couldn't think of him now. She needed to focus on the war, focus on her mission.

The bell rang just as Edelgard finished taking her notes while Kronya sprung to her feet and said, "Lucky day! We get a break from each other." She patted Edelgard's shoulder and beamed as she smugly added, "Thales wants me to do _important_ things for him."

Edelgard rolled her eyes. As if she cared less if Arundel trusted her with anything "important"; Kronya's boasting was sorely wasted and she felt utter relief as the obnoxious girl left, turning to the teachers' desk in attention when Manuela cleared her throat.

"Right so," she said, rubbing her forehead with a pained groan. "The uh...what's that stupid thing called—right, right. Reminder that The Academy Ball is coming as well as the White Heron Cup," Manuela groaned and rested her cheek against the desk as she twirled her flask in her hand. "Someone has to represent Eagle House so please let me know if you'd like to be a dancer—but tomorrow. My head is _killing_ me."

Edelgard sighed wistfully as she exited the classroom. She'd already decided she wouldn't be the dancer—the outfit was _far_ too revealing, something that wouldn't be so much of a problem if she didn't have her prominent scars to worry about.

She could at least dance at the ball however; nothing could be done about the Crest of Flames with Byleth being watched 24/7 by Rhea and there was nothing planned with the Agarthans for this month as far as she was aware. She was, for a few hours, able to—

Edelgard paused when she felt eyes on her, and instinctively she looked to her side.

Dimitri was watching her, an unreadable expression on his face as students milled around him. His eyes, for once, far too muddled with multiple emotions for her to decipher and intern, her own emotions were muddled and conflicting as well.

Edelgard wanted to say something, she wanted to shake sense into him, she wanted to know if they were still friends, she wanted to demand why he wouldn't just _listen,_ she wanted to pretend their argument yesterday had never happened.

They both turned away simultaneously instead.

"So the new girl _finally_ leaves your side," Dorothea commented as she stood beside her and raised an eyebrow. "Strange that it took this long—you _clearly_ didn't like her at all."

"Dorthea," Edelgard greeted with a nod, grateful for the distraction. "How are you fairing?"

"Well. Our librarian turned out to be an insane dark mage and I'm having some trust issues now...also Ferdinand, he—anyway, You?"

Edelgard's lips twitched upwards at the comment with the hint of a laugh as she said, "This year hasn't been kind to us, has it?"

"Nope. But then again, life is never kind," Dorthea resignedly shrugged. "Especially when nobles can't stop making a muck of things for five tiny seconds."

"It won't always be so," Edelgard said without really thinking, and Dorthea snorted.

" _Right."_

"I speak the truth."

"Even as empress, you can't just fundamentally rewrite the thinking process of every Margrave Gautier, Lonato, Lady Rhea and—I'm not sure _what_ the Death Knight is or who those intrusive bird mages are but it's a high ranking nobles fault, I just know it," Dorthea said.

Well, Dorthea wasn't _technically_ wrong on that front.

"When I become empress, everything will be different," Edelgard told her confidently, but didn't clarify _how_ she'd do it—after Dimitri's poor reception she wasn't foolish to try and pitch her ambitious plot again.

Dorthea laughed softly and smiled. "No more skirmishes and land squabbles? Oh, wouldn't _that_ be bliss."

Edelgard tensed as Dorthea continued with, "Or you could at least make it so they're forbidden to drag us commoners into the mix—I wouldn't mind _that._ Anyway! I have my choir club to get to! 'Bye, Edie!" Dorthea gave her shoulder a squeeze before dashing off, leaving the princess with her thoughts.

_"This is your plan to 'save Fódlan?' To create orphans and widows? To sow resentment with your people?"_

That was why he refused the war—not because he agreed with the status quo but because he didn't want to do just what Dorthea was complaining about; drag commoners—his people—into noble business.

But...it _wasn't_ just a "land squabble" this was the fate of _Fódlan_ at stake here! And yes, _yes_ innocents would inevitably be dragged into it but it was what needed to be done!

" _I pity Adrestia…"_ Dimitri's voice responded and Edelgard scowled as she brisked off with clenched fists. " _Their ruler is a heartless, immoral, warmonger."_

Edelgard shook her head to rid it of those foolish thoughts. If Fódlan needed someone "heartless" to fix it, then she'd be just that.

**-o0o-**

"You look handsome, Your Highness," Dedue appraised in appreciation, jolting Dimitri from his thoughts.

"Thank you, Dedue," Dimitri said as his retainer straightened the top blouse and adjusted the collar in front of the vanity. "But this is unnecessary—"

"You've seemed fatigued for these past few days. This was the least I could do for you seeing as how you would refuse to sleep if I advised you to," Dedue responded calmly and Dimitri flushed slightly. It seemed _everyone_ was being heavy handed with honesty this month.

Speaking of which…

"May I ask you a question, Dedue?"

"Of course."

Dimitri hesitated, awkwardly pinching one of the buttons holding his blouse closed and rolling it between his fingers. "Why do you...serve me?"

"Because I desire to," Dedue answered automatically as he picked up a comb and ran it through Dimitri's hair.

"Yes but, _why?"_

"It is my duty and I have no qualms with it." Dedue said as if it were obvious.

"So...that's it then?" Dimitri asked, turning his head over his shoulder to frown at him. "You don't have a reason?"

Dedue frowned back and blinked slowly in confusion. "Your Highness, I have already—"

"Never mind, it's just...what have I done, really?" Dimitri questioned quietly. "To deserve your loyalty, I mean? Or Sylvain's, or Ingrid's, or Faerghus's?"

"You are our prince and future king. That is enough."

Dimitri shook his head in frustration and said, " _No._ No, it isn't! Not when—nothing."

As Dimitri turned back around with a sigh Dedue had paused, seemingly in contemplation before continuing the task of neatening Dimitri's hair.

He silently wondered why he'd stopped challenging that foolish notion, perhaps because he knew Dedue wouldn't listen to him if he explained why following him blindly was wrong. Maybe he was simply making excuses.

Maybe Felix and Edelgard were right.

"May I inquire why you are asking this, Your Highness?" Dedue asked. "Is something troubling you?"

Dimitri licked his lips nervously and took in a deep breath. "My coronation is fast approaching," he answered. "I—need to know where I stand with my people."

"There is no need. They— _we_ adore you and will be glad to see you take the throne," Dedue said.

Dimitri sighed once more as Dedue finished and stepped back with a pleased smile. "Thank you," he said as he stood and smoothed down his blouse and looked at himself in the mirror. But he still didn't get his answer. He still didn't get an answer to his "why".

What had he done to deserve any of their sacrifice? For all those people to…

"Your Highness," Dedue said gently as he stepped forwards once more with a worried frown.

Dimitri blinked twice, rubbing the back of his hand against his eye once he realized he was crying. "Let's go, Dedue," he said tightly. "It wouldn't do to be late."

**-o0o-**

In many ways, tonight felt like Edelgard's first dinner at the Monastery; the comforting buttery light and deliciously smelling food wafting from the kitchens. The cheerful chatter and the pit of childish jealousy heavy in her stomach.

Well...she supposed there were _some_ differences—many of the participants of the ball were refugees from Remire instead of students from any of the Academies, the Golden Deer were uncharacteristically subdued, and there was a section cleared away for both dancing and the upcoming performances.

Edelgard sighed and leaned against the snack table, nibbling on yet another butter cookie as she watched students and refugees mill about, either eating, dancing, or all of the above—an example being Caspar as he held a turkey leg in one hand, Lindhart's hand in the other, and tried to to convince his disinterested friend to "loosen up and dance a lil'!".

She vaguely wondered why Lindhart even bothered to show up in the first place when somebody bumped her lightly.

"Oh!" The voice said as Edelgard turned to glance at its owner. "I'm so—"

Dimitri's voice cut off when he realized who he was talking to and he clamped his mouth shut. They stared at each other for a few moments, Edelgard once again wanting to end the speaking strike they'd set up for an entire week and go back to the way things had been before he caught her with that blasted armor.

He wanted to too, Edelgard could tell. She could tell in the way he chewed on his bottom lip, the way his brow pinched slightly in conflict. And yet, _and yet_ when he opened his mouth she walked away, her heart changing its mind on the last possible second once again.

It was better this way. She'd always known, even before he'd wormed his way into her heart.

At the moment, Seteth's voice called for everyone to take their seats and Edelgard breathed a sigh of relief that there was something to distract her until Dimitri grabbed her by the elbow and halted her movements.

"Edelgard—"

"I have nothing more to say to you," she replied coolly, tugging out of his grip and glaring at him over her shoulder. "And for the _last time._ Stop _snatching_ me."

"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have—I know—we need to talk. Please."

"As I've already relayed—"

"Please," Dimitri repeated beseechingly, desperation alight in his eyes. "I don't...I _can't_ leave it—leave _us_ like this."

Hearing Dimitri state verbally insinuate that their time together was numbered made the reality all the more crushing. Still, Edelgard agreed; she too would loathe for them to never see eachother again until the battlefield with nothing but cruel biting words left between them.

Edelgard glanced at the center of the Dining Hall as the choir group milled in—Dorthea and Ferdinand in the lead followed by Mercedes, Annette, Lorenze and Marrianne from the Golden Deer and a few students from the other Academies that she didn't recognize.

She wasn't all too keen in hearing Seiros hymns anyway. So turning back to Dimitri, she nodded simply before he smiled gratefully and led her out of the Hall. The sound of a melodic chorus of voices followed them as they walked down the empty halls, footsteps echoing against the walls.

"Do you have a place in mind?" Edelgard questioned.

Dimitri hesitated before shaking his head. "I can't say I do. This was a bit spur of the moment you see...ah, do _you_ have an idea?"

Edelgard paused before an idea came to mind and she nodded. "I do. Here, let me show you." She led Dimitri down another hallway as she heard Dorthea's voice through the walls beginning the song.

" _Summer,_

_Tell me where you have gone my friend_

_Summer,_

_Why did our sweet time have to end…?"_

"These steps," Dimitri said, stepping into the old archway Edelgard had led him to and staring up at the winding staircase. "This is the Goddess Tower, is it not?"

"Yes, it—what?" Edelgard frowned at the prince as he looked bashfully away.

"N-nothing," he said quickly as he turned his head away and ascended the steps.

" _Summer,_

_Fate deemed you time with me was done_

_But Summer,_

_Even so I miss you oh so much…"_

Ferdinand repeated the lines Dorthea had just sang and Edelgard found herself mildly surprised that his singing voice was on par with that of the songstress—she wouldn't tell her that, of course.

Once they'd reached the top, Edelgard breathed in a deep sigh as the crisp night air filled her lungs. She stepped towards the stone balcony and placed her palms against it, feeling the coolness spread into her palms.

Dimitri stepped beside her, clearing his throat before stating, "You look...you look ravishing."

Edelgard glanced down at the gown she wore—a black bodice covered completely in dark cloth roses covered her chest and snug velvet sleeves concealed her arms while the layered crimson skirts brushed against the ground. She'd even accepted Dorthea's instance of doing light makeup on her and now possessed brighter lips and bronze dusted lids while her long hair was pulled up into an elegant bun that exposed her neck, one of the few places devoid of scars.

"Thank you," she said, feeling incredibly pleased at the compliment. "As do you."

The white ruffled collar blouse, snug blue pants and dark knee length boots were simple, yet there was something captivating about seeing Dimitri in something other than his uniform—especially the way the light blue of the pants brought out those eyes she oh so loved.

" _Without you, my world is autumn,_

_With changing colours and all these problems…"_

The choir downstairs sang in unison as Edelgard said, "You seem flustered."

Dimitri flushed once more as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well...you see this place is fairly—well there's a legend that says when a man and woman make a wish on The Goddess Tower, the Goddess will here and grant their wishes." He shrugged sheepishly. "It's always seemed rather...intimate? Amorous? A bit—"

"Romantic?" Edelgard translated slowly, now trying to control her slowly rising temperature.

Dimitri flushed brighter and bowed his head.

" _I miss your sun; how it shone brightly,_

_Now I hug myself, it's far too chilly…."_

"Never mind," he said quickly. "I—the talk, right." He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath before saying, "You were right that night."

Edelgard's eyes widened slightly as the mild flustering disappeared, hope fluttering in her heart until he continued with, "About...me as a person...as king, I mean."

"I see," Edelgard said, the hope dimming as she looked away from him and stared into the distance as the light from a dozen shops and houses illuminated the sky and the choir repeated the song's chorus. "But I disagree with you partially."

Even without looking at him, Edelgard knew he was frowning in bewilderment, so she explained. "You aren't a coward. Narrow sighted, overly-hesitant, conforming, yes. Maybe a bit scared but certainly not a coward."

She turned back to him, smiling softly as she placed her raven satin covered hands atop his white gloved ones. "You survived something terrible, remember? We're both strong."

Dimitri returned the smile and twined his fingers with Edelgard's. "Rebels," he said softly, squeezing.

" _Without you, smiling is tiresome_

_My lips tilt upwards, but there's no glee in them…"_

"Must you do this, Edelgard?" He said, voice pained as the smile slipped into a sad frown. "Must you sow more pain? After what we've been through—"

"What we've been through is _exactly_ why this must be done," Edelgard said firmly, unlacing her hands from his and placing the back on the balcony. "Future generations will never have to suffer as we did. Don't you see?"

"I do," Dimitri said quietly, looking up at the stars with a sad smile. "You—you want what's best for your people, you want to fix their plights and I admire that. I was wrong as well; you aren't heartless."

Although appreciating the apology, there was a nagging bit of doubt at that comment for whatever reason. But she spoke nothing of it, instead saying, "You as well. I understand you fear dragging your people into a slaughter but—"

"Leave Faerghus out of your war, Edelgard," Dimitri cut her off, looking back down at her with fear and subtle desperation, hands clenching and cracking the stone. "We'll stay neutral. You can conquer and attack anyone you want but please—"

"I can't promise that, Dimitri. You know this," Edelgard said. "In fact...that simply isn't possible."

Dimitri swallowed and nodded slowly, resignation clouding his eyes as he looked away from her again. "That's it, then?"

" _And oh! I wish I could go back in time_

_Save your soul, hold you close, remake you mine…"_

"It doesn't have to be," Edelgard said softly, knowing the near futility of her words, much like Dimitri must have known the futility of begging for his country but shooting her shot anyway. "Join me. Walk with me. Together we could—"

"I want to," Dimitri said with a sad chuckle as he shook his head. "And like I said I admire your ideas but—the path you walk is one I cannot... _will_ not follow."

It was Edelgard's turn to swallow anticipated disappointment as she stepped back from the ledge and touched his shoulder lightly. "Then yes...that's it."

She turned to leave when Dimitri called, "Wait!"

Edelgard paused, looking back curiously.

"I...I'd like to dance," he said hesitantly. "Once more." He held out his hand and smiled hopefully. "Just once more."

_Once more…_

" _You...taught me how to dance. Did you know that?"_

Edelgard paused before nodding and turning back around and taking the offered hand. "Alright," she said.

Dimitri smiled brightly as he held her shoulders and she his, swaying gently to the choir's singing.

" _And oh! I will defy,_

_Fate's dastardly wishes just so I could see you smile…"_

The steps came naturally to them both, steps never faltering, movements constantly in rhythm. During a crescendo in the acapella instrumental, Dimitri spun her outwards and she twirled, skirts fanning out like a flower in bloom before he pulled her back in.

"We've done this before," Edelgard said softly, feeling the simple dance movements beckoning to some long forgotten part of her brain.

"Yes," Dimitri said with a bittersweet smile. "I told you, did I not?"

"Once more," Edelgard repeated.

His bittersweet smile tightened and he swallowed thickly. "Yes," he said once more as he pulled her closer. Her head reached his shoulder blades and their chests were flush against one another, their heartbeats just as in sync as their music and a long forgotten nostalgia washing over her and surely him as well.

All too soon, the song ended and a loud applause answered. The two rulers stood there for a while, simply holding one another.

That childish part of Edelgard was acting up again, and she didn't want to let go, she didn't want her and Dimitri's path to split apart.

She didn't want to kill him.

"Don't do this," Dimitri whispered in her ear. "Please. _Please_ , Edelgard. We'll find another way."

Finally, Edelgard pulled away from him, and she could feel the reluctance in Dimitri's movements as he pulled back as well. "I must. I'm sorry."

She walked slowly backwards, trailing her hands down his, savoring every part of him, tossing crumbs to the longing in her heart, until they were too far apart for her to touch him and it was just him alone, bathed in the light of the full moon. Its silvery light seemed to intensify the sadness in his blue eyes, the unshed tears, the pleading, and Edelgard had to look away, lest she be trapped by their spell.

"Goodbye, Dimitri," She said, and began to walk towards the steps once more.

"Goodbye," he answered brokenly. And then afterwards, as her foot landed on the first step he added, "El."

Edelgard's eyes widened, her body going taut as an invisible fist of iron punched her square in the chest and stole her breath. The night air was suddenly strangling her, apart of her mind tore like an old forgotten scab and memories poured out. They were unyielding, powerful, filled with emotions and sights, and smells, and familiar blue eyes.

Her own eyes teared up, a halted strangled gasp escaping her parted trembling lips as her world violently tilted on its axis—

And then she was falling.

Through the sound of childish laughter and conversation, she heard someone scream her name. But it was too late she knew; her descent was too fast and nothing could stop her from drowning in the flood of long lost memories.

Edelgard landed in a grassy meadow on her back, blinking dazedly before turning her head and finding a boy. He braided daisy stems together, his brows furrowed in concentration and long blonde hair draped over his face like a curtain of sunshine.

He held up his creation, smiling before turning back to her with eyes of such adoration and kindness and—

" _Edelgard!"_

Her body sank through the meadow, the scene melting to black before those same blue eyes from the memory stared down her, though instead of giddy and adoring, they were horrified and desperate.

"Edelgard," Dimitri repeated feverishly, the one hand not cradling her painfully pounding skull holding up three fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?" he said urgently.

Edelgard's lips parted to respond, but instead of uttering a number, they let loose a weak, "Dima?"

Dimitri's eyes widened in shock just as Edelgard slipped into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Did I introduce the choir club just so they could hype my poetry skills? Yes. Yes I did.
> 
> This chapter had a couple of alternating titles such as, "Dimitri Realizing he was the Cowardly Lion and Edelgard Realizing she was the Tin Man all Along" but I managed to show some restraint :3
> 
> Also! This Partial Week Chapter will include ending songs, and today's song is *drum roll* "Hurts Like Hell" by Fleurie! The Dimigard oozing from this song is just *screams into fist*
> 
> Anyway, see you tomorrow!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	21. The Aftermath

"Manuela!" Dimitri screamed as he rammed his shoulder against the Dining Hall doors. They flung open, and within seconds all eyes within the large room were locked on both him and the limp body draped in his arms.

"Goddess is that—?"

"What happened?!"

"Oh no..."

Concerned whispering followed Dimitri as he dashed towards the staff table where Manuela was already swiftly rounding.

"Oh dear, dear, dear," Manuela frowned as she placed a hand on Edelgard's bleeding forehead and muttered, "Concussion."

Hubert shoved through a swiftly growing crowd of curiously worried students, eye locked viciously on Dimitri as he and Manuela simultaneously asked, "What happened?" With differing intensity.

"We were—it—The Goddess Tower and then I—she—I don't—!" Dimitri tried grasping for the right words but they slipped away from the grasp of his fumbling mind and left his sentences muddled and nonsensical.

"Calm down," Manuela said firmly to Dimitri, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. "I need you to carry her to the Infirmary, and I need all of _you_ to _step. Back!_ Thank you!" She snapped to the crowd as the students pushed closer, The Black Eagles yelling and exclaiming in confusion and panic at the forefront.

"Make room, all of you!" Seteth commanded firmly, he too stood from the table to send a harsh sweeping glare to the student body. Most everyone stepped back, with the exception of Hubert who stood stubbornly by Edelgard's side and followed her, Dimitri and Manuela out of the sea of students and towards the infirmary.

"Alright, dear," Manuela said as they strode swiftly through down the hallway. "Tell me what happened again—but in a language I can understand, please."

Taking in a deep breath, Dimitri told Manuela what happened with a shaking voice; how they went to the Goddess Tower, had a conversation, and when she moved to leave, suddenly fainted and tumbled down the steps.

"All those stairs?" Manuela frowned, unlocking the Infirmary door and opening the door. "It's a miracle she's still alive. Put her on a bed, quickly."

Dimitri gently complied, supporting her head the whole way as Manuela instructed just before the woman held her glowing palms above the gashed forehead.

"Hubert, make yourself useful and bring me a wet rag, please?"

Hubert nodded curtly and did as he was told while Dimitri watched the rise and fall of Edelgard's chest with anxiety, fearing any second now it would still.

"Thank you," Manuela told Hubert as she wiped away Edelgard's blood, revealing the deep gash. She hissed in sympathy before placing her magically glowing hands over it once more.

Dimitri breathed a sigh of relief as the wound knit together neatly before Manuela's hands travelled lower on her body. There were the sounds of cracking and popping bones that had Dimitri wincing as Hubert seemed to become increasingly angrier; the prince could feel his sharp green eye burning a hole through his face even though his whole attention was on Edelgard.

"Alright," Manuela said, stepping back with a nod. "She'll need a few more hours for the magic to properly fix her bones but she'll be alright. Let me just give her the potions she'll need once she wakes up..." Manuela left Edelgard's side, migrating to the cupboards sifting through different coloured vials.

"Thank the Goddess," Dimitri breathed, the tension swiftly dissipating from his body until Hubert said, "A word, Prince Dimitri?"

Dimitri glanced at Edelgard once more before nodding and following Hubert out of the Infirmary.

As soon as they were far enough from the door, he hissed, "What _exactly_ did you do?"

"Nothing!" Dimitri exclaimed. "Hubert, you may keep your ill feelings towards me but know that I would _never_ hurt her."

And of course, his mind brought up contradictions to this statement; squeezing her wrist too tight in the library and getting her in trouble with those beasts, attacking her when he thought she was the Flame Emperor...

He of course knew saying such things wouldn't help his case, even if he mentioned how guilty he was about the whole ordeal.

"So she simply fainted?" Hubert said in clear disbelief.

"What do you presume happened? That I shoved her down the steps?" Dimitri demanded in equal incredulousness. "Has there been a single thing I've said or done that implies I would ever desire Edelgard's life?"

Hubert scoffed and crossed his arms. "And what does that prove? You could have simply been accumulating goodwill to garner her trust and eliminate her."

"Are you hearing yourself?" Dimitri demanded in frustration. "I've had multiple chances to kill Edelgard that I didn't take because I _don't_ want her dead! Why is that so hard to believe?"

"You can't deny your insipid infatuation with her from day one wasn't suspicious," Hubert countered.

"She's my childhood friend who I hadn't seen in four years! If I wanted her dead I would have told Lady Rhea about—!" Dimitri swiftly killed the words about to escape his tongue but it was too late. Hubert's eye flashed dangerously as he took slow deliberate steps towards the prince.

"Tell Lady Rhea _what?"_ He asked in a low voice. The air crackled with the sensation of awakening magic and Dimitri swallowed nervously. Lying would do him no good.

"About...her plans," Dimitri said warily and Hubert clenched his fists, eye narrowed. "A week ago she told me everything and—well we had an argument. I took her aside to make amends and she suggested the Goddess Tower."

"You still haven't explained why she fainted," Hubert said.

Dimitri shook his head. "I don't know, truly. We'd said our goodbyes and then—" he paused, replaying the moment in his head, eyes widening in realization. "El," he whispered.

Hubert frowned deeper. "What?"

"I called her El, and then she froze...and pitched forwards," Dimitri said.

Goddess, he'd hurt her again, hadn't he? He didn't know how exactly but he had triggered something with that nickname and then she'd—

" _Dima?"_

He hadn't heard that nickname since Miklan, but the way _she_ said it was simply...

Did she...remember?

"What was she thinking?" Hubert muttered under his breath with a shake of his head before looking back up and narrowing his eye at Dimitri once more. "If you do _anything_ with this information—"

"I told you before, Hubert, Edelgard is worth too much for me to kill," Dimitri said firmly.

Hubert chuckled darkly as he turned on his heel and walked back down the hallway to the Infirmary. Without looking back he said, "If you're truly aware of Lady Edelgard's goals, I pity that sentiment."

Dimitri swallowed thickly and looked away.

Hubert was right, even if Edelgard did somehow remember he doubted anything would come of it.

Nothing had changed.

One of them was still going to die.

**-o0o-**

"Would have liked you to _not_ wake up in that heavy gown but Dimitri was fairly insistent on not taking any article of clothing off save your shoes," Manuela snorted as she gave Edelgard another vial to drink, which she downed in a detached manner. "What did he think I would do, anyway? I'm not a monster for goodness sake! Ah, well, at least he cares."

The scars on her body may have been blessedly spared from foreign eyes thanks to Dimitri, but also thanks to him she bore a brand new one on her heart.

After she'd been given the go ahead to leave the hospital by Manuela a day after her tumble with the strict instruction to stay away from any taxing activities, Edelgard had immediately gone into her room without acknowledging anyone and laying in a fetal position on her bed. Her dress spilled off the mattress and her loose hair draped over her face.

_El._

With a single word, Dimitri was suddenly not just the awkward prince who had a strange fascination with her, who was haunted by ghosts, put his body before hers in order to keep her safe, and laughed at horrible plays. Suddenly he was also the boy who'd extended his hand in friendship forever ago, who she'd taught to dance, who stayed up late eating sweet buns with her, who'd given her a dagger and a few words of encouragement that had pulled her through the most painful of her tormentors hands.

Suddenly, he was Dima.

He was Dima.

_Dima._

Edelgard let out a shuddering breath as she curled further in on herself. How could she kill Dima? She couldn't kill Dima, she owed him _everything—_ but he wouldn't join her, meaning he was in her way—maybe she could convince him to surrender? Step down peacefully so she could—no, that didn't seem like something he would do, did it? Something else, _something else—_

There was a knock on her door. "Lady Edelgard?"

She ignored him, her thoughts getting louder and louder, anxiety causing her to quiver and tears lining her eyes.

Why Dima? Why did it have to be Dima? Why couldn't he just have been some random, kind prince with no connection to him at all? It would still hurt terribly but at least he wouldn't be _Dima—_

Another knock. "Lady Edelgard? Are you quite alright?"

' _Stop it,'_ Edelgard told herself, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath before rolling onto her back. She'd told herself no more doubts, even if Dimitri _was_ a long forgotten and beloved part of her past she couldn't stop now, she was far too close.

Opening her eyes, she mentaly steeled herself before sitting up and calling in a blessedly steady voice for Hubert to enter.

Her retainer stepped in with a respectful nod and bow before closing the door behind him. "Lady Edelgard, I am grateful to see you awake."

"Thank you. Nothing important happened while I was out?"

"Not that I'm aware of...all though Professor Byleth has returned to the land of the living."

Edelgard's eyes widened, anxiety spiking as she slowly asked, "Is she?"

Hubert hummed in confirmation. "The Golden Deer are in celebration of course so it's a bit louder than usual but other than that, all is right as it can be in the world."

So Byleth hadn't told Rhea anything? Or perhaps she had forgotten? Edelgard would need to subtly pry that information from her when she was ready to make sure she was truly safe.

"No, on second thought, there _is_ something I feel I must discuss with you," Hubert said, looking down at her with a frown. "It has something to do with something the Prince said at the night of the Ball."

Talk of Dimitri. Good. Lovely. Fantastic.

The annoyance Edelgard felt at the conversation only appeared on her face with a subtle pinch of her brows as Hubert continued. "He claims that you...told him."

Oh.

Hubert gave Edelgard a pointed look as she looked away with a soft sigh.

" _Princess,_ you didn't truly—"

"I didn't tell him _everything,"_ Edelgrad said defensively. "Not of the plants existing in his Kingdom nor Arundel's plans for him, but…"

"You told him _everything else?"_ Hubert demanded incredulously.

"I know, I _know,"_ Edelgard said, clenching the bed sheets beneath her hands and unclenching them again. "But in my defence I told him of my past in a moment of weakness—"

"And the war? Your alliance with the Agarthans?" Hubert asked, crossing his arms. "What reason did you have to reveal such sensitive information then?"

"He wanted...needed to know who'd orchestrated Duscur, so I told him of Arundel and the others," Edelgard said and hearing those words made her realize just how embarrassingly deep she'd fallen into the snare of friendship, even before knowing he was Dima. "Then we had our argument and I told him about the war."

Hubert sighed heavily and sat on the bed next to Edelgard after pushing away her red skirts out of the way. "His days are numbered," he said, honest and blunt.

"Arundel won't kill him, Hubert. He needs him," Edelgard said even though she knew it was a clear and desperate lie. Not forever he wouldn'd; he'd dispose of Dimitri when he was done, throw him away like garbage, and he could kill the prince earlier still, if she angered him enough.

And even then, a battle was inevitable, if Arundel didn't kill him Dimitri would eventually escape his puppet strings and stop Edelgard from completing her conquest, he'd more or less knew that too if his tearful goodbye was anything to go off of.

Hubert must have known she was too intelligent to not understand this, so he said nothing of it, instead he squeezed her shoulder and said, "I simply hope you know what you're doing."

Edelgard smiled bitterly.

She didn't.

**-o0o-**

Unsurprisingly, sleep did not reach Edelgard. Instead she went to her usual spot in the night, the small stone veranda leading to the Dining Hall and sat on the wall circling it.

"I'd hoped to find you here."

Edelgard's shoulders tensed as she looked over her shoulder against better judgment. Her eyes found bright blue ones staring right back, seemingly analyzing her gaze for a moment, before a soft smile spread across his face. "I see it now," Dimitri whispered breathlessly.

"See what?" Edelgard questioned as he stepped closer with a slowly broadening smile.

"That...spark of recognition it…" he paused midstep, hand reaching for her before he held himself back with seeming restraint, clenching the outstretched palm and looking down with soft sigh. "I suppose it's too late to be happy that you...remember."

"I don't remember everything," Edelgard said, as if that made a difference. "But it's coming back to me. Slowly."

"What do you remember, exactly?" Dimitri questioned curiously, hoisting himself atop the wall beside her and propping his face atop a fist.

Edelgard's lips twitched. "You had a very horrible singing voice."

Dimitri coughed and flushed while Edelgard laughed softly before continuing. "You loved cheese, I remember. You were always dragging me to that one blacksmith near the castle because he made new weapons every week and you loved to see them. You made me flower crowns whenever we played in the meadow and that's where I…" She swallowed. "That's where I let you call me El."

Edelgard turned to him fully and wondered how she'd managed to forget him. Yes his baby fat had lessened considerably, and his hair had been cut, but everything else about his face was so painfully, beautifully, Dima that—

Without really thinking, Edelgard launched herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his broad shoulders and burying her face in the crook of his neck. "If it wasn't for you I—" she let out a shuddering breath and hugged his stunned form tighter. "I've missed you, Dima."

Only then did Dimitri hug her back, squeezing her tightly and resting his cheek on top of her head. "As did I, El."

' _Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry,'_ Edelgard tried swallowing the emotions bubbling to the surface and threatening to spill from her eyes as she squeezed Dimitri even tighter.

She felt his hand fall to her hip where that dagger lay at almost all times and he murmured, "Do you remember...what I said when I gave you this?"

"You wanted me to carve my own path," Edelgard said. "Even when I didn't really remember I knew what it represented. I knew there was a reason I loved it so."

"Good," Dimitri said. "Even if it differs from my own I'm glad you were able to find a path to carve out."

Edelgard didn't try dissuading him again, and he didn't do the same to her in return. He slowly pulled back and looked her in the eyes with a sad intensity as he whispered, "I only ask...I only ask that you don't forget me again, El."

Edelgard smiled and said, "Then I want the same thing from you."

Dimitri chuckled and pressed their foreheads together, twining their fingers in an action that had quickly become a meaningful staple between the two of them. "I could never forget you, El. Never."

"If that's so simple, I want one more thing," Edelgard said, pulling her head away and sliding off the wall, tugging him off with her. "You got your dance, now _I_ want my flower crown."

Dimitri grinned and the two strode hand and hand towards the lawn before the fishing pond searching for flowers to braid.

**-o0o-**

Cool wind brought goosebumps to Byleth's flesh and the light of the moonlight was bright beneath her eyelids. When her eyes fluttered open, Rhea was smiling above her.

"I knew the fresh air would be good for you," she cooed, stroking her cheek maternaly as Byleth frowned and looked around in confusion. This wasn't the Infirmary, this was the balcony outside the Audience Chamber wasn't it? What was going on? Why—?

Rhea clutched her chin and forced her to look at her once more. "It is quite alright, you are perfectly safe here."

Byleth blinked slowly. "How long?"

"Two months," Rhea responded, smoothing her hair. "But there's no worry, you're safe as I said."

"What happened?" Byleth demanded, trying to sit up only to be pushed back down.

"You need _rest,_ Byleth."

"Father and my students are probably worried. I need to see them."

Rhea laughed lightly. "Oh, this is just like you isn't? Worrying about others before yourself! This is why you have the teaching position in the first place."

It probably _did_ make sense to listen to Rhea, her head was muddled, and while she knew she was supposed to be bedridden she didn't exactly know _why,_ so her mind was clearly trash at the moment—and also surprisingly silent. Where was Sothis, anyway?

The doors opened with a flourish and in stepped Seteth with a dark frown on his face. "And _this_ is why the blasted Tower is _prohibited._ Why doesn't _anybody_ listen?"

"Seteth?" Rhea frowned, looking up from Byleth to gaze at her advisor. "Did something happen at The Ball?"

Seteth sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. "It just so happens that—" he paused as he absorbed the scene before him and frowned. "Oh. You're awake, Professor Byleth, I'm glad you've finally come to."

"I still feel weird...and my brain friend is gone."

Seteth blinked in confusion as Rhea's face lit up. "Friend? Who is she?"

Byleth blinked twice. "How did you know she was a she?"

Rhea beamed, gasping in delight, and seemed about to ask something else when Seteth cut her off. "Rhea...I do believe it is important to know that The Goddess Tower is particularly fatal and we need to put up better precautions—Edelgard gained a nasty concussion after—"

Byleth sucked in a sharp breath and shot up, staggering off Rhea's lap and crashing against the balcony doors.

"Byleth?" Rhea said worriedly, standing swiftly and holding her shoulders to steady her.

"That's right," Byleth muttered as the memories came flooding back. "It was—it was Edelgard. She brought me to those...people."

Rhea tensed instantly and Seteth said, "I beg your pardon?"

"Edelgard was bringing me to those weirdos in the woods," Byleth clarified with a frown as she tried to remember the details. "I caught her hand before she could Warp me though and she kept desperately trying to—"

"Seteth," Rhea said, her voice devoid of maternal warmth and now frigid with cruelty. "Take her. We will have one last event to end this ball."

"Rhea!" Seteth exclaimed in horror as the woman breezed past Byleth and stormed towards the doors. "Rhea, _stop!"_

" _ **NO!"**_ Rhea roared, and Byleth flinched as the archbishop's voice boomed throughout the Chamber, green wisps of energy rising from her body like eerie flames and eyes glowing a similar colour. "That _wicked_ child is working with _them!_ I let Tomas slip from my grasp, but I will end _her_ worthless life _now."_

"Listen, Rhea, _listen!_ If we kill the heir apparent to Adrestia what do you think will happen?!" Seteth exclaimed, Rhea narrowing her eyes as he continued. "Our relationship with them is shaky as is, do you think there won't be all out war if we kill their princess?"

"She is a traitor to all that is holy!" Rhea spat venomously.

"Be that as it may, we can't rush blindly on nothing but emotions!"

" _Do you want another Red Canyon, Seteth?!"_ Rhea practically shrieked, causing Byleth to flinch again while simultaneously wondering where she'd heard that name before. That was where her first mission had been, no?

Seteth flinched as well, face twisting as if he'd just been slapped, before taking in a deep breath and saying, "Of _course_ not. Which is why you mustn't do this Rhea. Do you understand? If the Empire brings her full might against us—"

"Then I will destroy them!"

"You're not being reasonable—!"

Byleth cleared her throat loudly and both adults turned to her as if they'd forgotten she was there. They probably did, Byleth was used to it though.

"Hi. What's going on?" Byleth asked.

Seteth hesitated but Rhea answered darkly, "Edelgard von Hresvleg is a traitor to Fodlan and will be executed tonight."

Byleth frowned at that. She supposed it made….sense but Edelgard was just a kid still, wasn't she? It seemed a bit over extreme. She then asked, "Wouldn't it be better to get information from her? She's spying for _someone,_ right?"

"Yes! You see, Rhea? We should try gaining some information—"

"Do not be a _fool,_ Seteth, she won't tell us anything."

"No," Seteth agreed. "However we can lure out those mages."

Rhea seemed to contemplate this with a thoughtful frown as Seteth turned to Byleth and walked towards her. "You were captured by them, did they tell you what they wanted?"

Byleth tilted her head to the side and tried searching her brain before nodding and saying, "Yes, The Crest of Flames Stone."

Rhea gasped and turned to Byleth sharply as Seteth said, "Why would they want it? It came with the sword they stole, did it not?"

Byleth shrugged. "I guess not because they wanted it really bad. They think _I_ have it for some reason."

Seteth hummend and furrowed his brow. "Odd," he said as Rhea took in a deep breath and glanced between the two with a determined gaze.

"I know what I want to do."

And what a thing that must be, because Byleth found Rhea downright terrifying looking in that moment. Of course she _always_ unnerved Byleth but there was a special kind of loathing burning in her eyes.

"We will give Edelgard false information regarding the Crest Stone's location," Rhea explained, hands clasped behind her back as she strode back towards the balcony. "We will have someone watch her and alert us when she calls her masters and then when they are in position there will be...an accident." Her eyes glinted at that last part as she stared off into the distance.

"Seteth, you will find a suitable place for an ambush. After this I'm certain those fiends will get my message."

"Rhea—" Seteth said hesitantly.

"Am I clear?" Rhea demanded forcefully.

Seteth nodded jerkily as Byleth hesitantly asked, "So...we're going to assassinate an eighteen-year-old girl?"

"Her age doesn't matter," Rhea said simply. "She is a sinner of the worst kind, and thus, must be punished."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Here's some fluff before we plunge back into the angst sea tomorrow ladies and gents! Took me fifty billion hours to choose a song but I finally decided on "Break my Broken Heart" by Winona Oak! Have fun sad bopping while reading this short but sweet chapter with that foreboding lil ending!
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	22. The Stones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Forgot to mention it last time BUT the final scene at the end of chapter 21 is basically what happened the night of the Ball from Byleth's POV. I just moved it during editing because it caused a fluctuation in the chapter's tone while it was being jammed in the middle.
> 
> Okay! That's it!

Dimitri dreamed of flower crowns and moonlight waltzes—a pleasant dream for once. No robed mages or his cursing spitting family, just him and El.

If only things could stay like that forever...

The prince sighed softly as he stared up at his beamed ceiling, sunlight streaming in and decorating the room in warm golden light. He stretched with a pleased sigh and stood to get out his uniform when his eyes landed on the calendar.

Immediately, reality crashed down on his little fantasy and he let out another sigh—this one considerably more resigned.

Faerghus would require his return right about today. And when he returned he...well it was safe to say his brief time with El would be over. Her war would start soon after, would it not? And then...

His mind teleported him back to the previous night; laying underneath the light of a waning moon atop the wind rustled grass and flowers tangled in both their hair. It was there that she smiled at him, eyes alight with that fondness he'd wished to return for months now, her pink tinted lips tilted upwards in a content smile.

He'd just gotten the El of his past back, and now...

Ah, The Goddess truly did hate him—both of them; they had the scars to prove it. But there was nothing to be done except play with the hand he'd been dealt.

Getting ready for the day, Dimitri strode into the Dining Hall, and much like two nights prior, all eyes flickered towards him. Seconds later, the whispering began.

He could only catch snippets as he passed by the tables, but from what he could gather sent his cheeks aflame. He couldn't get out of the lunch line fast enough as overly curious students hounded him with questions.

"This is why you gotta stop missing Dining Hall meals, Your Highness," Sylvain snickered. "Rumours just pile up."

"I wasn't hungry yesterday," he sighed. "I was too—"

"Worried about the princess?" Sylvain said slyly.

Technically it was anxiety over their future together—or apart in this case—but he gave his friend a half hearted glare anyway.

"You can't blame them after you charged in here like a madman, can you?" Sylvain shrugged as he took a bite out of his food. "If I didn't know better I'd assume you _were_ actually in a relationship."

"You don't _already_ assume that?" Ingrid asked incredulously, glancing up from the book she and Ashe were sharing beside each other.

Sylvain batted a hand through the air. "What? No! I just like teasing His Highness; he's _way_ too timid to start something with _any_ girl let alone someone as imposing as Edelgard."

The Hall went silent a second time as the door opened once more. Edelgard strode inside with Hubert at her side, mask securely on as she elegantly glided towards the Black Eagles table.

From where she sat at her table, she caught his eye, and gave him a quick smile that he returned eagerly.

"I think you may be wrong in the ways of infatuation this time, Sylvain," Mercedes said with a teasing note to her voice.

"What?" Dimitri said, pulling his gaze away from Edelgard and turning confused to Mercedes's beaming face and Annette's giggles.

"Either your playing dumb or you simply don't realize the full extent of your love yet," Mercedes said good naturally. "If it's the latter, don't worry! You'll surely figure it out soon."

Desiring to change the topic as fast as possible, Dimitri brought up his second departure of the year to his Lions.

"As I'm sure some of you know, very soon I will be taking the crown from my uncle—less than soon in fact, a couple of days at most," Dimitri said. "He insists on a week long celebration before the coronation and I was wondering if any of you would like to join in perhaps in the middle of it directly before—"

"No," Felix said automatically, not even looking up from his plate. In truth Dimitri hadn't exactly been asking him; he'd already known what his answer would be.

"Of course, count me in," Ingrid said with a firm nod as Ashe eagerly said, "And, I!"

The rest of the Blue Lions all voiced their agreement and Dimitri smiled brightly. Even if he wouldn't have Edelgard by his side anymore, he still had the Lions.

He truly hoped their mutual friendship would endure.

**-o0o-**

An academy trying to kill one of their students—out of all the places Byleth could've taught, she was certain this one was the wackiest by far.

If she had a choice in the matter, Byleth wouldn't be doing this at all. She didn't know Edelgard really well if it all, but holy shit...

However, even though Rhea didn't explicitly say there would be hell to pay for disobedience it was pretty easily implied with the cold cadence of her voice and dangerous look in her eye.

Well, at least she and Seteth finally agreed on something. When Rhea had called her, him, and a couple of knights including Catherine into her Audience Chamber with a plan to eliminate the young heiress and her mage friends, he seemed to be the only one rightfully disturbed; wringing his hands and muttering curses under his breath until he left in a huff.

Byleth tried doing that too but Rhea insisted she was needed—and yes she was for phase four, but phase four was _useless_ because the first three would probably already do the job perfectly well but she stayed anyway.

She currently missed creepy maternal figure Rhea—maybe that version of her would think twice about the crazy plan and at least didn't scare her _half_ as much (and that was saying something).

She also missed Sothis—she needed someone to talk to about the madness and she was the only one she could speak with since there was a "no blabbing" policy on the meeting. Otherwise she would've gone to Jeralt, maybe even Claude.

On top of that, those mages were seemingly very powerful; Byleth would need Sothis's time magic just in case something went wrong.

She sighed heavily to herself as she made her way to the Golden Deer classroom only for a voice to call, "Professor,"

Byleth paused, glancing over her shoulder to where petite princess Edelgard stood, having her attention, she strode towards her purposefully and said, "I'm glad you're awake."

"Thanks, being knocked for two months is embarrassing though."

"I dare say it is; I've been unconscious for only a few hours and it's been quite the bruise to my ego."

"What's up?" Byleth asked, turning around fully and crossing her arms. "I know you didn't find me for small talk."

Edelgard inclined her head and smiled in a way that was clearly not genuine if the calculating coldness in her eyes said anything. "You're sharp."

"You're not very subtle," Byleth stated casually. Not a jab, just the truth, but the lightning fast furrow and smoothing of Edelgard's brow showed she'd taken offence.

"I simply wanted to ask about...the event that landed you bedridden to begin with," Edelgard said, stepping closer and peering intensely into Byleth's eyes. "Do you remember anything?"

"No," Byleth lied smoothly, instantly knowing what this was about. "Not fully at least. I think I was hit in the head with a spell but I don't remember, really."

Edelgard stared at her for a few moments and Byleth blinked blankly back. Finally she nodded stiffly, pastel eyes narrowing slightly as she said, "You are certain?"

"You're starting to sound very suspicious," Byleth said, and like she'd hoped Edelgard backed down.

"Apologies. I simply wanted to be prepared if something like that happens again. I hear they were the same mages from the Rite of Rebirth who attacked you and I wanted to try and understand how they worked."

Right. "Makes sense," Byleth shrugged. "Anyway, I have a class. Have fun with your research." The two made their separate ways, knowing that by the week's end Manuela would unknowingly send the Black Eagles on a mission that Edelgard would not return from.

Byleth paused, looking at Edelgard's retreating form over her shoulder and suddenly finding the urge to tell Edelgard the truth and warn her—maybe not in a way that would tip Rhea off to what she'd done but maybe—

An explosion shook the Golden Deer classroom and Byleth spun back around swiftly.

"Raphael!" Lysithea screeched.

"Sorry, sorry!"

Byleth sighed, opting to be quick with her warning to Edelgard until she saw the long line of guards walking towards her direction in a patrol.

Damnit.

Sighing, Byleth walked through the arc of purple flames that now arched her classroom and left her Deer screeching in horror.

**-o0o-**

"So!" Manuela said as she entered the Black Eagles classroom just as Edelgard was taking her seat. "I am about to assign you something that you've all been waiting for for a very, very long time," she placed her flask down before smiling and clapping her hands. "A mission!"

"YES!" Caspar screeched as Lindhart slumped into his desk and groaned. Bernadetta wailed, Petra and Ferdinand sat straighter in clear anticipation, and Dorothea sighed, picking a splinter from her desk.

"And an _authorized_ one this time," Manuela clarified as she took her seat. " _Not_ one that will get me laid off and have my salary cut in three quarters! Thank the Goddess teachers are scared of being hired at this place now," she added in a low mumble as she took a quick sip from her flask.

"That mission was still so epic though!" Caspar said. "Fighting a zombie Miklan and then his Demonic Beast form! That was awesome! Right guys?!"

Silence.

" _Right guys?!"_

"What is this mission be entailing?" Petra asked with a raised hand.

"Glad you asked," Manuela said, taking a slip of paper from her cleavage and unfolding it. "We're to relocate a super special bit of cargo to one of the Western Churches."

"A Western Church?" Hubert frowned. "I was unaware there were any left. Hadn't Rhea eradicated all of them after the Rite?"

"Lady Rhea," Ferdinand corrected, and Hubert shot him a glare.

"Apparently not," Manuela shrugged, folding the paper back and placing it on the desk. "Now, I must warn you that this mission is incredibly important—Lady Rhea seems to think this will stop the bird wizard attacks."

Edelgard inhaled slowly, exchanging a quick glance with Hubert before she raised her hand next.

"Edelgard?"

"Do you know...why exactly, Professor?"

"You mean 'what's in the heavy tomb'? No clue whatsoever dear."

Now what could that mean? Why would relocating something stop The Agarthans from—unless? Could it be—? No, no. They'd deduced The Crest of Flames was with Byleth, no? Why would it be in a tomb?

Could it be more Crest Stones? Hero's Relics? Would Arundel want that?

Intuition twisted worriedly in her gut and Edelgard bit her lip in thought. Byleth didn't look like she was lying, but then again that woman was incredibly difficult to read. But then again, _again,_ how would Rhea know They wanted Crests? Unless there was no Crests and Edelgard was thinking too deeply into this. But what else would supposedly lead Them away? And that circled back to how Rhea would know about what they desired unless she just guessed, which was unlikely but she was there personally to save Byleth so maybe they let something slip? But Edelgard had fallen so low out of Arundel's favour so wouldn't it be best to just go for it without worry—?

A finger tapped her lightly on the back and Edelgard swivelled around to glare at the attacker.

Ferdinand flinched back and held up his hands placatingly. "Sorry! The Professor just asked you a question and you weren't responding—!"

"I was wondering if you were up for this, Edelgard. What with your fainting spell at the Ball," Manuela cut in and Edelgard fought the flush desiring to devour her cheeks. She sounded absolutely pathetic; poor damsel Edelgard fainting and having to be carried in the arms of her Prince Charming.

Thoughts of him didn't leave her in a better mood either—their night together was dreamlike and she only knew it truly hadn't been one when Hubert had picked a poppy petal from her hair with a sour look on his face that morning.

"I'll be alright, truly. I'm good as new," Edelgard insisted.

"If you're sure...we get ready to depart tomorrow morning. Now! Onto the lesson." Manuela got up and took up her teacher's stick as Edelgard decided what she would do about her doubts; she'd have someone ease them, Hubert would be far too conspicuous but maybe...

**-o0o-**

Dimitri placed his suitcase beneath the carriage seat and gave it a pat. "Alright, that should be enough," he muttered.

"You're leaving?"

Dimitri looked up and surprised and smiled when he saw Edelgard walking towards him briskly. She didn't return it however, mind clearly elsewhere. "I've only just heard."

"Yes my...my coronation approaches and—well my uncle wants me back. Don't worry, I have triple the security I've had last time; Lady Rhea was kind enough to lend me some of her Knights so the chances of me getting kidnapped by bandits again is slim to none."

"I'm relieved," Edelgard said distractedly. "However I need a favour from you before you go."

Dimitri blinked in surprise at her seeming agitation and he frowned worriedly. "Have I done something wrong?" Because if he'd once more halted their friendship when their paths were about to diverge, Goddess smite him now—

"No, no, not at all," Edelgard assured him with a shake of her head. "You see I'm going on a mission that includes relocating something top secret and important that The Agarthans supposedly want—"

The sound of Their name sent a pang of hatred stabbing into his heart but he said and did nothing other than clench his fists slightly.

"—and I feel...suspicious. Getting this mission immediately after The Professor wakes up—well I suppose it could be increased worry but...I don't know," Edelgard finished, glancing around to see if anyone was watching before stepping towards him to speak in a lower tone. "I want you to interrogate Byleth Eisner."

Dimitri furrowed his brow. "Professor Byleth? What would she—? Oh Goddess you don't think she...knows?"

"I'm not certain," Edelgard said. "I didn't sense deception but she's very good at concealing emotions. And if Rhea is conspiring against me—"

"Wouldn't she just publicly execute you if she thought for a second you were working with Them? I certainly didn't hesitate when I assumed you were The Flame Emperor from Duscur and she seems to have...quite a temper."

Edelgard frowned and tapped her lip. "That...is a fair point, yes. But it wouldn't hurt to make sure."

Dimitri winced and looked away, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "You...know I'm horrible with words, Edelgard. Professor Byleth will be suspicious of me instantly if I try prying for information."

Edelgard sighed and frowned deeper. "Another good point." She hummed in thought again before her eyes lit up with an idea. "You can check the cargo."

Dimitri's eyes snapped back towards her, wide and horrified. "You want me to...to scry important Church artifacts?"

"It could be empty. Possible trap, remember?" Edelgard pointed out.

Dimitri made a noise of discomfort as he crinkled the corner of his eyes at the distaste of the situation. "Couldn't... _you_ do it?"

"I can't easily lift a tomb cover, Dimitri. _You_ can."

Dimitri thought of this. It would be _very_ bad for him, Near King of Faerghus to be caught snooping through something presumably so important to The Church but...if this was about Edelgard's safety...

His shoulders slumped and he sighed in resignation. "I—alright. Where is it?"

Edelgard beamed vividly and Dimitri immediately knew he'd made the right choice. "Rhea presented it to us, expressed it's supposed importance and had it carried away," she said. "That was about five minutes ago so you should be able to catch them."

Dimitri nodded. "Alright, consider it done, then."

Edelgard clasped Dimitri's hands as her smile broadened. "Thank you, my friend."

That title still sent giddy tingles up Dimitri's spine. Yes he'd certainly made the right choice.

Except maybe not because how was he going to get that blasted tomb out of the Knight's hand—

Dimitri's face brightened with an idea as she finally stepped from the bend of the hallway and revealed himself to the grunting struggling Knights.

"Afternoon!" He said politely and the duo, a man and a woman paused to simultaneously gasp out, "Your Highness."

"Would you mind if I carried that for you?"

With the long tomb in his arms, Dimitri followed the guards while formulating the rest of his plan in his head. He would give it the tiniest peek once their back was turned and pray he didn't make a sound—that was about all he could think of in such a short time.

As they reached a secluded area at one of the Monastery towers, they opened the door for him before standing guard on either side. Dimitri placed the tomb down with a grunt and quickly checked to see if they were watching him.

They were not.

With a deep breath, Dimitri was relieved to find the lid lift easily. He peeked inside and gasped in surprise at the brightness that greeted him. Once he adjusted to the light, he could see what was inside.

Crest Stones, dozens of them. Edelgard hadn't told him what to look for, but it wasn't empty and from what he knew the experiments had done to her, Them being interested in Crests didn't seem to be a stretch.

Dimitri gently replaced the lid and stood, nodding and smiling when the knights thanked him genuinely for his help as went to locate Edelgard before his departure.

**-o0o-**

If there was one thing Edelgard needed, it was to return to Arundel's good graces, especially now that she knew who Dimitri was and what his death could do to her if she wasn't given time to prepare her heart.

So when yesterday, he'd told her the tomb contained Crest Stones, she'd decided to snatch the opportunity to let him know and tell him where he could snatch them. She couldn't figure out any other precautions she could make and this was as good a chance as any. She simply needed to keep her peers out of the way and all would be good.

Of course, in her one track minded goal, she hadn't had the chance to properly send Dimitri off. Of course she'd seen him off but not properly.

For all she knew...

No. This was a worthy sacrifice. If Cornelia had his claws in him by now then it meant he wasn't dead. They still had some time together.

Unless him learning that he was pawn managed to—

Goodness.

Edelgard asked Hubert if he would like to walk around the Monastery with her to clear her head for the upcoming mission, and he agreed. It was then when she learned that she wasn't the only one feeling Dimitri's absence.

Unsurprisingly, Edelgard got this tidbit of info from a sulking Jeritza she found eating a bowl of vanilla ice cream by the pond.

"You do realize the Dining Hall is right there?" Edelgard asked with a raised eyebrow.

Jeritza sighed heavily and gave her a sideways glance. "What...do you want?"

"I'm concerned with your apparent boredom," Edelgard responded. "You happen to do reckless things like listening to The Agarthans when you're bored."

Completely ignoring her, Jeritza glumly stated, "I am currently unable to teach."

Edelgard blinked in surprise at the deceleration while Hubert chuckled and crossed his arms. "Seteth came to his senses and fired you, did he?"

"No. But I am unable to teach without the full class."

"You are unable to or you don't want to?"

"...I don't want to."

Edelgard rolled her eyes. "Then isn't your boredom your fault?"

Jeritza spooned a glob of ice-cream into his mouth and shrugged.

"Since when was that your policy anyhow? You taught just fine when Lonato's adopted son was locked in his room," Hubert said.

Jeritza didn't answer.

Edelgard narrowed her eyes.

"This has something to do with Dimitri, doesn't it?" She asked.

"...yes."

"Oh don't tell me," Hubert sneered in disdain. "That pathetic brat truly hinges on your ability to teach?"

Edelgard spared Hubert a disapproving frown while Jeritza said, "Yes," and frowned at the pond. "What will I do now that I can't teach people the beauty of death and the objective superiority of magic?"

"What an odd way of saying, 'what will I do now that the object of my obsession is leaving my sight?'" Edelgard sniffed.

"That...too," Jeritza sighed.

Well, at least he was being honest.

"Perhaps you can do something," Edelgard said. "No killing—"

"Then I have no interest."

Hubert rolled his eye at Jeritza's melodrama as Edelgard patiently said, "You may not kill, but you can fight—or at least distract."

Jeritza sighed heavily and hissed a " _Fine_...it's better than fantasizing Dimitri's knee on my neck...palm presses against my skull...teeth ripping veins from my neck..."

Hubert wrinkled his nose and spat, "Pathetic," under his breath as Edelagrd gave the madly muttering Death Knight a look of abject disgust.

They quickly moved on, after that, making one more round around the Monastery before returning to the gates where everyone was prepared to leave for Charon territory.

It would take a day's journey she'd estimated, and she'd told The Agarthans as such in her letter to Arundel.

As the Black Eagles marched onwards, that nagging doubt didn't go away.

**-o0o-**

"So, why'd you invite me on your little super secret, super exclusive field trip again?" Jeralt asked with a raised eyebrow as he, Byleth and a batch of other Knights stood at the ready, overlooking the soon to be occupied church.

"I'm afraid of your boss," Byleth admitted in a low voice and Jeralt chuckled.

"Don't blame you," he muttered back. "She gives off this..."

"Deranged aura?" Byleth suggested.

"Pretty much. But she's not here now so I don't see what the issue is. You think she'll hurt me while you're gone or something?"

Byleth frowned. Truly she's requested her father's presence because she needed someone grounded to stop her from careening into guilt at her strange bout of cowardice but now... "I didn't. But now I do."

"Heh. I survived two months, think I could have handled a day or two."

Byleth sighed heavily and toed the dirt with her boot. "Can you not mention that again? It's embarrassing."

"Hey it was hard for me too," Jeralt said, squeezing Byleth's shoulder. "I was...scared. More scared than I've ever been and Rhea wouldn't let me see you, had you holed up in her chambers just you and her."

Byleth imagined being trapped and unconscious as Rhea gave her that odd obsessive look day in and day out before she shuddered.

Jeralt laughed. "Yeah, exactly." He patted her back firmly. "Good to have you back, kid."

"What're you too talking so seriously about?" Alois said cheerfully as he shoved between them and grinned at both individually. "We're going to take a massive blow to the enemy; you should be celebrating!"

"They could just retaliate ten-fold," Byleth pointed out.

Alois's smile slipped before it brightened once more. "We'll tell Lady Rhea to quadruple security when we get back! Yes! That'll help!"

"What's even supposed to happen here anyway?" Jeralt asked Alois.

The man grinned, wagging a finger. "Can't tell, Jeralt! Lady Rhea made an exception for Byleth's comfort but this mission is still top secret!"

"They're coming!" A Knight called, and everyone peered over the cliff's lip to find the Black Eagles trudging forwards with the carriage holding the tomb of counterfeit Crest Stones.

"The hell? Ain't that Manuela and her kids?" Jeralt demanded. "They aren't robed mages!"

"Nope. As far as we know, only Princess Edelgard is in cahoots. Maybe her retainer too, but he's undecided," Alois said simply.

Byleth's hand began to shake and she swallowed down bile as she wondered if she could rush down quickly and stop this after all—to hell with the consequences. The Seiros mages would try and stop her and maybe they would for she was outnumbered—

"Mages!" Catherine commanded. "Initiate the avalanche in three, two—"

From behind them, a dark figure charged down a higher mountain ledge on an equally pitch horse. Everyone either dropped to the ground or dodged with cries of surprise as the creature and it's rider charged straight down the mountain side.

"What the heck was that?!" Catherine exclaimed as everyone watched the rider leap over the group of students before circling back and twirling a deadly scythe.

"I still can't tell you anything, Jeralt," Alois muttered. "But uh...this wasn't part of the plan..."

**-o0o-**

Dread intensified dramatically when the designated church came into view and Edelgard kept shoving the feeling down.

A part of her knew that something wasn't right, that something amiss was in the air but she ignored it, she didn't want to believe it.

It's not like she had time to doubt anyway, for the sounds of hooves thundering down a mountain caught everyone's ear.

"AH! What is that?!" Bernadetta shrieked in horror as Death Knight galloped at full speed straight down towards them.

' _This is it.'_ Edelgard thought, nodding to Hubert who took the cue and swiftly made his way to the carriage.

She was seeing this through to the end, even everything inside her was telling her to stop—she didn't get this far listening to doubts hissing in her ears.

Death Knight jumped over them before swiftly circling around, scythe twirling menacingly in the evening light.

Taking advantage of the chaos Edelgard broke away from the group and knelt into a bush, Warping directly behind the church.

The very decrepit, very quiet, very abandoned church.

Why would Rhea want something oh so important to be relocated somewhere it couldn't be protected?

Already, Edelgard knew the answer.

Hubert Warped beside her with a palm on the tomb and Edelgard whipped around towards him. "Hubert—"

The mountain behind them lit up with dozens of magical circles before exploding.

With dual screams, Edelgard and Hubert were thrown violently backwards. The retainer slammed against the church's stone foundation and the princess crashed through one of the stained glass windows, tumbling across the shard littered wood and only stopping after she'd slammed a firm palm against the ground to halt her movements.

Her palm stung and shook as she slowly forced herself into a kneeling position, rainbow glass sliding off her body as she took in deep breaths to calm her too-fast heart.

Moments later, the interior of the church lit up with glyphs too. Edelgard's eyes widened, quickly activating her Crest to its fullest capacity just as the interior collapsed in on itself.

She nimbly leapt to the side twisting out of the way, jumping over, ducking, all in the span of less than a second. Her feet had never had to move so fast, her Crest never needing to expend so much energy. The balls of her feet ached with each shot of debris she deftly avoided and the back of her hand was getting warmer, her blood boiling, her vision getting blurrier—

She staggered, tripping backwards and crashing against a large stone as a giant beam tumbled towards her. Only then did she have the sense to Warp outdoors where she collapsed in a heap, gasping for breath behind a high wall of rubble.

"Hubert..." she choked out. Sighing in relief when she saw him staggering towards her form. A shield flickered weakly around him before he fell to his knees beside her.

"It was—" he breathed.

"Counterfeit," a voice answered.

The duo turned swiftly to find Arundel with a "Crest Stone" in hand, shattering it in his grip. "Really, Edelgard. Kronya leaves your side for a week and this is the foolishness you do. How pathetic."

Edelgard squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled shakily, saying nothing. Because truly, what could she say? It was pathetic.

"Seiros tried to kill you," Arundel said slowly, looking down at Edelgard with cold eyes. "I wonder..." he drawled, crushing another fake stone under his boots while walking towards her. "Why is that?"

Edelgard cursed as she gritted her teeth and looked away, blinking away the fresh blood that had dripped from her cut brow and onto her eyelid. "I—"

"Edelgard."

"It—The Battle of Eagle and Lion," Edelgard whispered, still not looking at him. "When Byleth caught me she...she must have remembered—"

A hand forcefully grabbed her by the face and forced her to her feet. Hubert's hands sparked with magic as he shot upwards but Arundel blasted him away without looking at him, eyes trained solely at the helpless little girl at his mercy.

"And you neglected to tell us," he hissed. "Why?"

Edelgard opened her mouth and closed it, furiously blinking back tears of both fear and rage. Rage at herself for not listening to her intuition, for desperately jumping at a chance to be a valuable asset again, for being forced to be one in the first place.

Fear of the millions of things Arundel could do to her.

The bastard's lips tilted to the side in a crooked smile as he swiped a stray tear with his thumb. "I see," he said. "I see."

He let her go and Edelgard forced herself not to collapse once more. She stumbled backwards with a grunt, straightening her shoulders and staring him dead in the eyes. Slowly, her mask was glued back in place.

"That doesn't work on me, Edelgard. You know this," Arundel said amusedly. "But don't fret...I won't punish you for this."

Edelgard felt hope at those words, hope she quickly crushed when she remembered the last time he'd dismissed her without immediately doling out punishment.

Her father could no longer walk now.

"I speak honestly. Punishment doesn't seem to work on you...no, no I think I'll move on and try a different tactic this time."

Before Edelgard could decipher his meaning, Arundel had snatched her arm and levitated Hubert with the other, whisking them both away into a blast of bright light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Two chapters left! I've decided Part II will be very character driven, so the other housemates will be getting their backstories told/character development/relationship development. Taking suggestions on who gets the light shined on them first!
> 
> Today's song is "Technicolour Beat" by Oh Wonder! However it's for the tiiiiiny Dimigard moments in here and not for the rest of the chapter, lol.
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	23. The Calm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Happy one year anniversary of "Let's Die Together!" as of now this story has 15k views, 454 kudos, 69 bookmarks, and 419 comments! Thank you all so much for the love and support you've given me thus far!
> 
> This chapter was supposed to be posted yesterday, again. But life happened, again, again. So to refrain from writing a trashy finale, this will be the pre-finale chapter that basically sets everything up while chapter twenty four will be completely filled to the brim with action, action, more action and Dimigard!
> 
> SO! Hope you enjoy!

Arundel's idea of a "different tactic" as opposed to punishing Edelgard was to lock her in a dark cell to have her "self reflect."

Instead, Edelgard hyperventilated.

It was too dark, too small, and she couldn't see them but she could hear rats scuttling around...

Time became as meaningless as it was in the horrible days when she'd been sliced and stabbed and forced to do painful outrageous things for her captors's amusement. The darkness flickered with beaks and hands and dead faces so Edelgard had stopped opening her eyes all together.

She sat curled in a corner, arms clamped over her ears as she gasped for quickly dwindling breath. The walls seemed to close in on her, inching closer and closer. At one point, a rat dashed over her leg and she shrieked—a mistake as this caused the others to scuttle around too, filling the cell with rat squeaks and Edelgard's own pathetic whimpering.

"Let me out!" Edelgard had yelled after the rats had settled and the walls had closed in so much that she had the immediate urge to bolt. She slammed against the cold unrelenting metal and pounded on it, screaming and cursing and at some point dissolving into sobs. This of course stirred the rats again.

Edelgard couldn't breathe anymore as her time in the cell dragged on. She was cold and hungry and dehydrated and embarrassed because she'd never sobbed, or begged, or lay in her own excrement in so long and she'd slipped oh so easily back into the role of a tortured useless little girl.

Sometime into her confinement, she'd realized they hadn't taken away Dima's dagger from her. Just like before in those days, she held the gift close and squeezed it as if it were a plush toy, letting the promise of cutting her own path slowly re-tie the threads of her sanity.

He was still saving her when he wasn't even around. Edelgard smiled, imagining his kind eyes and awkward adorable smile and fumbling bashful speech, his hands on hers as they waltzed on the Goddess Tower, his laughter at the play, his soft comforting voice when she'd told him of her pain, his bittersweet smile when he realized she finally remembered.

And she imagined things that didn't exist too—daydreams if you will. Him at her side as she stormed the church, his adoring gaze being something she woke up to everyday of her life...wondering how it felt to kiss someone, and then wondering how it would feel to kiss—

She had to quickly stop the daydreams before they became a weapon that cruelly reminded her of their opposing roles.

After some more time, Edelgard wondered if they were going to strap her down to a metal table after all, have her convulse and twitch just like old times because honestly, at this point why not go all the way?

She laughed bitterly, clenching the dagger tighter to her chest as she snatched onto that bitterness and rage accumulating in her heart and feeding it for rage was better than fear.

Finally, finally the heavy metal door creaked open and too-bright light poured through, forcing the darkness to retreat along with the rats. She didn't react to them this time though, she was too busy feeling a mixture of wariness and relief as she removed her dagger from her chest and pushed herself shakily to her feet, strapping it back to her hip with fumbling uncoordinated fingers.

"Reflected enough, Niece?" Arundel questioned as he stood before the doorway, blocking the promise of freedom until she could finally be the good girl he wanted her to be.

Edelgard nodded stiffly, neck sore from being curled in a fetal position for so long. But in truth she hadn't "reflected" on anything other than wanting to leave, worrying if Hubert was okay and staying as silent as possible to not disturb the rats.

"Let me out," she said hoarsely, trying and failing to force her voice to be steady and commanding.

Arundel gave her a crooked smirk in response, so it probably didn't work. "It seems you've learned nothing, Edelgard."

Fear clutched at her heart and squeezed as tight as it could. "I did," she assured him, despising the desperation seeping into her voice.

"And what did you learn?" Arundel questioned, tilting his head to the side and raising his eyebrows as if she were a misbehaving petulant child.

In his eyes, she supposed she was.

"I...I will not opt to keep things from you any longer. Had I told you about Byleth I wouldn't have been discovered," Edelgard plucked the first thing that came to mind and presented it.

"Well done," Arundel said with approval, and Edelgard hated the wave of relief she felt as he stepped to the side. He snapped his fingers and two beak faced mages strode in, grabbing Edelgard by opposite arms and leading her out of the dungeon she'd been in.

She wanted to close her eyes, not desiring to watch the familiar electric doors open and close revealing exiting experimenters and screaming victims struggling against their restraints. The overhead lights burning brighter than any candle and casting shadows over the pitch walls and floor.

But she didn't want to appear more pathetic than she already did, so staring resolutely at the exit elevator as she asked, "How long was I there?"

"Three days," Arundel said simply and her heart sank. So long? So much could've happened in that time! She had hoped her time in confinement would be shorter than she was led to believe but at least it wasn't an entire month.

Outwardly, Edelgard nodded curtly and stepped into the elevator with her captors. It hissed shut and shot upwards for only moments before dinging and sliding open once more.

There, Cornelia stood, smiling catlike at Edelgard and wiggling her fingers in a wave as Edelgard's stomach tried to expel nonexistent food from her stomach.

She had forgotten just how much she utterly loathed Cornelia, as the woman was blessedly absent for every meeting the Agarthans held. But now, standing in the hallway with her cloying perfume tickling her nose and her smug face directly in her vision, Edelgard fought the urge to charge at her and stab her neck until every drop of blood had left her body.

She showed restraint however, knowing that she wouldn't be able to escape the iron grips holding her in her condition and not wanting to appear over emotional in front of the bastards in the hallway. So the only hint Edelgard showed of her displeasure was a clenched jaw and furrowed brow.

"It's good to see you too, sunshine," Cornelia tittered as Edelgard was forced forward by her captors.

"I'll leave her to you, then," Arundel said, nodding at Cornelia before Warping out of sight to do Fódlan knows what.

Torment more children, maybe.

"We're going to have a girl's night before the war meeting," Cornelia said as they continued down the hallway. "I'm simply bursting with excitement, aren't you, Edelgard? It will be just the two of us!"

The thought of being alone with Cornelia did make Edelgard want to burst but certainly not from excitement.

She grabbed Edelgard's wrist and Warped away with her, Cornelia, Edelgard and her captors reappearing in a lavish bathroom that Edelgard recognized immediately.

"This is for the Emperor," she commented and Cornelia smiled in faux sympathy.

"Oh that's right! You don't know. You _are_ Emperor now, Edelgard," Cornelia said as she turned to the mages and dismissed them with a, "Goodbye, boys."

Edelgard frowned in confusion as the mages Warped away and Cornelia strode towards the already filled bathtub, poking her finger in to presumably test the water.

"I don't understand. My coronation is not until—"

"Well thanks to your _foolishness_ we can't very well wait until The Church gathers enough force to repel us, now can we?" Cornelia said as she stepped back and turned to look at Edelgard over her shoulder with a smirk. "So while you were in Reflection, Solon took the reins and impersonated you. I dare say he made the Emperor suspicious because he kept fumbling lines he was supposed to know since childhood but alas, he remains the only one of us who can transform into still living people as of now so he had to do."

"What?" Edelgard demanded. The thought of Solon stealing her likeness caused her blood to boil.

"Stop being such a drama queen—or, Empress—don't you worry, we left the exciting parts for you to do," Cornelia said, turning around fully. "But that's only if you cooperate." She gestured to the bathtub.

Edelgard hesitated, glancing at Cornelia and then the tub.

"Forgotten how to remove your clothes in three days?" Cornelia questioned mockingly with a raised brow.

Edelgard had subconsciously wrapped her arms around herself in a feeble act of protection. She would gladly walk around in filth if it meant Cornelia wouldn't see her scars and no doubt mock her for them—especially since most were inflicted by her cruel hand for no reason other than the fact that she wanted to hear a helpless girl scream.

"It seems so," she said, and raised a finger, turning it sharply to the side with a click of her tongue.

An invisible force tossed Edelgard violently to the side and into the warm water with a cry of surprise. Water sloshed over the tub lip as her skull slammed against the tub's bottom.

Resurfacing and gasping for breath, Cornelia amusedly asked, "Are you going to bathe with your clothes on?"

Edelgard stubbornly glared back through sodden bangs in response.

"Oh dear," she sighed with frown. "You truly learned _nothing_ in your timeout, haven't you?"

That gave Edelgard pause, imagining returning to that darkened prison and having all her plans and decisions being run by Solon wearing her face like a mask, slowly fading away to a maddened drooling wreck like Rowen or Matthias before her.

Closing her eyes, Edelgard swallowed her pride and slowly began removing articles of her uniform, knowing she'd never be wearing it again.

Cornelia didn't comment on the scars, but the cruel smirk on her lips easily delivered all the snide remarks right to Edelgard's brain.

Being bathed took a lot more pride swallowing, and Cornelia clearly knew this as she took great pleasure in talking to Edelgard in a baby voice and treating her like a puppy. "I'm going to pour water on you now, sweetie!" "Ooh! Does that hurt? Sorry, sorry..."

After a while, Edelgard had managed to tune her out, instead thinking to the future. Leading an attack on The Church, destroying them and all that opposed her, and then finally—

Cornelia, now realizing that Edelgard was now ignoring her, switched tactics.

"I never understood before," she said in her normal voice as she brought a comb to her sudsy hair. "But now I do—The Princeling is an absolute sweetheart, no wonder you love him so!"

Edelgard tensed, and though she couldn't see her face as she washing her from behind, the princess knew Cornelia was smirking at the reaction, small as it was.

"And he certainly inherited his father's looks as well..." she purred and Edelgard felt disgusted bile crawl up and burn her throat. "Oh yes, there is much to appreciate about him. I was angry at first that I could no longer dispose of him and take the throne but then I found an alternative!"

Cornelia leaned towards Edelgard's ear and whispered, "Wouldn't we make _such_ a couple?"

Edelgard gritted her teeth at the idea of Cornelia being anywhere near Dimitri but his wife? Cornelia wouldn't love him, he'd simply be a footstool for the throne, a pretty pet that she would enjoy spitefully breaking. Edelgard imagined him and that situation, the light in his blue eyes dimmed to resigned solid ice, shoulders perpetually slumped in defeat and no power to protect the Kingdom he so loved.

"Oh, no need to look so angry...we can share!" Cornelia said, leaning back again and continuing to untangle Edelgard's hair. "He'll simply be mine at the end of the day."

Edelgard pulled sharply out of Cornelia's grasp and stepped out of the tub, dripping water everywhere as she snatched a folded towel and rubbed herself harshly down until her skin was raw and burning.

"Struck a nerve?" Cornelia mocked as Edelgard wrapped her hair and rifled through the cabinet for a robe. "I wonder why. Does it pain you that the woman you oh so despise intends to pursue the man that you love? Or perhaps you want him all to yourself?"

"Dimitri is not mine, he is not yours, he belongs to him and him alone." Edelgard shoved her arms into the robe as she continued. "Your interest in him begins and ends with what he can do for your status and knowing you, you'll enjoy breaking his will day in and day out for full control of Faerghus. _That_ disgusts me."

She tied the robe strings with a sharp tug before glaring at the still smirking woman dabbing at her damp dress. "And if you even think of hurting him in the slightest—"

"You'll do nothing," Cornelia finished calmly as she bent to rifle through Edelgard's discarded clothes and pulled out a familiar dagger. "Because _you_ are just a little girl and _we_ are the grown ups. But you knew that already, didn't you... _El?"_

Edelgard snatched the dagger and hissed, "Don't you dare call me that."

Cornelia laughed. "Oh how I missed your delusional pride, Princess."

**-o0o-**

Attending this party was a mistake.

Everyone was so...loud. Dozens of conversations were happening simultaneously, the voices within them amplified by alcohol and sugar. The amount of noble men and women not at all suspiciously telling him how amazing he would be as King and how glad they were that he was taking the throne from Rufus.

He tugged at his collar and gave a quick apology and "excuse me" to a man talking to him before striding for the doors. Oh, he knew it was rude to leave a party made in his honour but if he didn't leave right this instant—

He opened the glass doors leading to the courtyard and breathed in a deep refreshed breath. Snowflakes gently landind in his hair and face and eyelashes and the winter air bringing a flush to his cheeks.

He then began to walk around, rearranging his thoughts and composing himself as he trudged through the ankle deep snow as he glanced at everything around with a sad frown.

Castle Blaiddyd hadn't felt like home in four years.

Every stone in the walkway, every portrait, every room held memories of people that were dead because of his inadequacy. Walking by the training grounds he could see Glenn sparring three men at once, glancing back to make sure Felix was watching and yelling sword technique pointers at him—occasionally, that would be the cause of him hitting the dirt with declaration that he was holding back.

"Your Highness!" A Knight called with a wave, wiping snow from his hair and blowing his running red nose on a handkerchief. "Up for a match?"

Dimitri smiled and shook his head. "Another time, Gregory," he said as he continued down the pathway. Looking up, there was Patricia, staring out the window with sad faraway eyes. Sometimes glancing up periodically from a book she'd been reading or a painting she was finishing up, eyes always leaving both the window and current activity to find Dimitri's as he visited her, and the smile she'd give was always both loving and saddened simultaneously.

As a ghost, she didn't smile anymore.

Looking back down he entered the castle proper, stomping the packed snow from his boots and handing his coat to a waiting servant with a quick and polite thank you.

But his father...oh his father.

Lambert Blaiddyd was everywhere; there was a portrait of him in every hallway, a memory in every corner—him snatching Dimitri from behind a tapestry with delighted laughter and winning a game of hide and seek, curling up in his study as he read him a bedtime story, hoisting him on horses and teaching him to ride—

Dimitri swallowed the sob threatening to escape and wiped the blooming tears in his eyes away, making extra sure not to glance at a picture of Lambert that hung mockingly on the wall just to his right, looming over him menacingly.

And now what did Faerghus have left? A pathetic excuse for a King.

"Dimitri!"

Dimitri flinched in surprise at the silence being shattered by a slurred booming voice and lumbering uneven gait.

Then there was...him.

Dimitri—hick!—You came back—hick!" A large arm wrapped around Dimitri's shoulders and slammed him against a tall and imposing body, the motion causing the alcohol in the man's opposite hand to slosh out onto the carpet.

Dimitri looked at his uncle and gave him a weak smile. "Uncle Rufus, hello. Drunk again I see."

"Ha! Ha! HA!" He screeched, ruffling Dimitri's hair as he continued. "All's well! I only took a tiny sip."

Dimitri glanced at the quarter empty bottle in his uncle's hands. "Clearly," he said.

"Why'd you leave that party? Hick! Was just getting good!"

"My apologies, Uncle I was...well I needed some space for my thoughts."

"You can have space for your thoughts after the party, because now you're just—hick—being ungrateful."

Dimitri sighed heavily. "I never asked for a party, Uncle. In fact I would've preferred a more private affair without people overtly trying to butter me up and throwing their daughters at me."

Rufus took another sip and frowned, some dribbling down into his long blonde beard and saying, "Suppose I should—hick—get them to stop now. Found you a lovely wife already! No officail arrengments yet but—"

Dimitri's eyes widened and he ducked under his uncle's arm before horrifyingly crying, "What? You never told me anything like this!"

"One, it was recent and two you'd have said no," Rufus said simply with another hiccup.

"If you'd known I would say no then why?" Dimitri bristled.

"Because you need an heir and to get an heir you need a wife. I mean you can just find—hick—a random woman to bed but you seem to have your father's mind numbingly idiotic _chaste_ trait."

"Father was no fool," Dimitri said firmly as he smoothed out his ruffled and snow damp hair.

Rufus sorted. "Oh, here we go..."

"Why do you keep dragging his name through the mud?" Dimitri demanded in frustration. "He was your _brother!"_

"Was he? Hick! When did he ever invite me to the castle when he was alive—hick—huh?"

Dimitri frowned and looked away as Rufus laughed. "Never? You see!"

"Father wouldn't have spoken ill of you if _you_ had died in Duscur," Dimitri snapped.

"He just spoke ill of me while I was alive which is—hick—better I guess to you, aye?"

"Father had never—!"

"I direct you once more to being kicked out and then non-invited to my own home—hick—so if you feel he didn't speak about how oh so horrible I was to his, his, his ass kisser Rodrigue Fraldarious your more dumb than I thought," Rufus sneered as he finished off the last of his bottle and shattered it on the ground.

Dimitri flinched back at the sound and the sight of the moon drenched shards skidding across the marble before Rufus pointed a shaky finger at him.

"You and, and, and—hick—the castle staff, and, and, the whole blasted country are celebrating me being kicked off the throne when I've been entertaining them for years! But they celebrate Lambert's memory and mourn his death—hick—when all he did was charge into a country of liars and barbarians while leaving his son an orphan!" Rufus shoved Dimitri and jabbed his finger at Lambert's oil painted face.

"What, what, did you do?! Die! You died! That's all people remember you for! Getting your head lopped off by Duscur scum!"

"Do not refer to them in that manner, Uncle, they had nothing—!"

" _You_ did nothing!" The man snapped back, pointing his opposite finger at Dimitri. "You did nothing but—" Rufus suddenly staggered and vomited over the ground, crashing into a small pillar containing an urn and tumbling into the mess of sharp glass with a sob.

Dimitri knelt by his uncle's side and gently hoisted him to his feet, plucking and tossing bits of glass that had dug into his cheek.

"Uncle," Dimitri said gently before the man vomited again and covered Dimitri's outfit in regurgitated wine.

He sighed softly as he led his uncle to his bedroom, rubbing soothing circles onto his back.

At least he had an excuse to avoid the party now.

**-o0o-**

Within the long table of the war room, Arundel sat at the very end, on his left was Hubert—thankfully appearing to be unharmed—and on his right was Cornelia, smiling at Edelgard innocently.

Edelgard realized with extreme dismay that the seat beside that woman was the only one left, the rest of the chairs filled with important Adrestian generals and Agarthans both. With tense movements, she sat down onto the plush cushion as Hubert gave her an empathetic frown.

Neither of them liked Cornelia in the slightest—not that they had any love for any of the Slithers, Arundel in particular—but Cornelia certainly snagged second place in the disdain department.

"Hurry up this meeting, yes?" Cornelia said, addressing Arundel but looking at Edelgard with a broadening of her cat smile. "I don't want to leave the Princeling alone for too long, you see."

Edelgard glared back, filling her gaze with a million silent threats. Cornelia tittered into the tips of her fingers, knowing full well that they were all empty at best.

"We will not be long," Arundel assured her before turning to Edelgard and saying, "We've sent Kronya and Myson to spy back at the Monastery," and Edelgard immediately felt disturbed by that information—her peers interacting with those things without her being there to stop them from doing anything was simply...

"We didn't harm your little friends," Myson said simply from two seats beside her.

"Yet," Kronya grinned from beside Hubert.

"As I was saying," Arundel said. "Seiros has discovered your escape and has been fortifying her domain. She has also had an assembly exposing your position as a spy to the entire student body and staff and has begun to ask everyone but students willing to fight to leave as soon as possible."

"She expects rightful retaliation," Solon commented from his seat next to Edelgard.

Arundel nodded and said, "And we shall hand it to her on a silver platter."

"Yes!" Kronya cheered. "Can't wait to get my hands bloody!"

"This seems highly unwise," a woman from the other end of the table rasped. She wore an elegant fur lined collar, choker and gloves along with a figure hugging dress. She also wore a full faced birdcage veil that obscured her face. Edelgard couldn't say she'd seen her before.

"Why did you let this one out, Arundel?" Cornelia said with a disdainful sniff. "She's hardly any fun anymore."

"It's not always about, fun, Cornelia," Solon sneered.

Kronya snorted. "Yeah it is!"

"See? The little one understands," Cornelia said gesturing to Kronya. "What is _wrong_ with you bland boys?"

"Margaret is a powerful mage and she will be helping us henceforth," Arundel said firmly as Cornelia rolled her eyes and shot Margaret one last dirty look.

"Well at least Christos is a fun addition to our group. Hello Christos," Cornelia purred as she waggled her fingers at another Agarthan Edelgard didn't recognize—a man in full midnight armour who spluttered within his helmet.

"I saw him run away from a mouse once," Myson deadpanned.

"Pathetic," Solon crabbed.

"Exactly, skittishness. That's where the fun is," Cornelia chirped.

"Enough!" Arundel snapped, silencing the room effectively as Edelgard's lips twitched in amusement. The Agarthans acting like children certainly made them far less intimidating than she knew them to be.

Arundel then turned to the Margaret woman. "Why do you say?"

"We haven't access to Rhea's stash of Crest Stones and thus lack the ability to make more Demonic Beats—this would mean using more soldiers and more casualties and both sides," Margaret explained.

"Our numbers far surpass that of The Church. All will be fine, even without Demonic Beats," Arundel said calmly.

"And we can take as much as we need once we open that stone building of horrors like a walnut and scrape out its insides," Randolph commented.

"Excellent deduction. Now, as for the details of this attack..."

Edelgard was beginning to wonder why she was even here. Not once was she, or Hubert for that matter, asked questions despite the fact that they were the ones with the most information on the Monastery as they had been there for nine months.

It wasn't until the very end of the meeting when Arundel finally turned to her once more and said, "Now, you will use Rhea's assassination attempt as leverage to rile the people and get their full support. After, you will initiate the war and we will prepare the attack."

This was happening far sooner than she had anticipated, but there was nothing to be done but nod and say, "Of course. We will set things in motion as soon as possible."

Fódlan's salvation was fast approaching.

**-o0o-**

Unsurprisingly, even the most seasoned party animal couldn't drink, eat and dance for a week straight. By day six the ballroom was a disaster filled with exotic bird feathers and shattered glass.

That meant when the coronation finally arrived, there was no fanfare, no excitement. Just a quiet, formal ascension with no too-loud people or the stench of alcohol.

Truly, Dimitri couldn't have asked for anything better.

Rhea's serene face looked incredibly strained and Rufus looked barely sober as always as Dimitri strode down the blue carpeted walkway. The audience was filled with weary nobles who bowed and murmured congratulations under their breath, what brought a sincere smile from him was catching the Lions in the audience—Sylvain, Dedue, Ingrid, Ashe, Mercedes, Annette and—Felix?

Dimitri blinked in surprise and tripped on the first step to the throne platform, stumbling to his knees. His cheeks burned and he quickly scrambled back up. Thankfully, everyone seemed far too hungover to laugh at his clumsiness.

Reaching the platform, Dimitri turned to face the audience and Rhea began her speech—the history of Faerghus, of the Blaiddyds, and after a brief hesitation, of the Hero's Relic Areadbar.

She then turned to Rufus and held out her hand. The man took five second to respond before he staggered forward slightly and handed over the Hero's Relic. She then ran her hand down its blade, smiling sadly as it glowed brighter at her touch, and then turned to Dimitri.

"Please kneel," she said.

Dimitri complied, knee bent and head bowed as Rhea pointed the blade's tip at his head.

His heart thundered as the weight of the moment crushed him—and the crown hadn't even touched his head yet. He was going to take a title everyone knew he wasn't ready for. It would probably be in his best interest to just run out of the room and leave.

Instead he stayed and listened as Rhea said, "Do you, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd intend to lead your people with kindness and humility?"

Dimitri swallowed his fear and said, "I do."

"Do you intend to uphold the laws set in place by your descendants?"

"I do."

"Do you intend to do everything in your power to ensure this country is peaceful, prosperous, and stable?"

Dimitri took in a deep breath and said, "I do."

Rhea twirled the lance and slammed its hilt against the ground. Dimitri looked up at the gleaming handle, hand reaching for it, hesitating, and then finally grasping it firmly as Rhea took the crown from a nearby display pillar and placed it on his head.

"Rise," she instructed and Dimitri used the humming weapon as leverage as he stood and once more turned back to the audience.

"I present to you, King Dimitri of Faerghus!" Rhea smiled.

Dimitri's was far more strained as applause filled the throne room.

**-o0o-**

Edelgard stood before the palace gates, staring down at the crowd who had come to hear her speak, all waiting with baited breath for her to speak.

' _This is it,'_ she thought firmly as she began.

"The leaders of the Church have misused their creed to fulfill their true desire—to rule the world. With their power and influence, they have fooled the people of Fódlan," Edelgard crossed her arms behind her back and paced before them.

"They divided the Empire to create a Kingdom, and then divided a Kingdom to create an Alliance, causing instability to remain in authority. Due to my distaste for these treacherous acts, Lady Rhea has attempted to assassinate me."

Gasps and mutters filled the crowd as Edelgard stopped to properly face them again.

"They cannot and will not lead this country to peace for they are liars and hypocrites who prey on the weak and needy of this world. Only once they are torn asunder will true freedom, justice and equality reign. Thus, it is with full conviction that I, Edelgard von Hresvelg, declare war on The Church of Seiros!"

A unanimous roar rippled through the crowd and Edelgard smiled, tilting her chin up and turning elegantly on her heel to leave. Cape swishing dramatically behind her.

"Well put, Your Majesty," Hubert said and Edelgard nodded her thanks as she expected the offered water skin from him.

"Thank you. I spent all night writing and rewriting that speech and then I had to memorize it so I could perform just perfectly. I'm rather proud of myself," she said as she took a delicate sip and handed it back to him.

"Then it's with a heavy heart that I must bring you some...disappointing but unsurprising news," Hubert said as they reentered the palace and the large closing doors muffled the cheers and exclamations.

"That is?"

"Our spies have relayed that Lady Rhea has extended formal aid to both the Kingdom and Alliance in an anticipation for this very retaliation."

Edelgard froze in her steps. "And..." she hesitated before turning back to Hubert. "And have they accepted?"

Hubert's lips twitched. "No, as far as we are aware, King Dimitri hasn't accepted as of yet."

Edelgard flushed under his knowing gaze and nodded. "Alright. Hopefully both countries stay that way."

"Would Cornelia stop him from attacking us, do you think?" Hubert questioned.

"I don't know," Edelgard said honestly. "There has been no news or rumours of anything going on between them so I can only assume it's too early for her to be so overt in his business."

"She could've been saying such things to agitate you, Your Majesty," Hubert pointed out. "Cornelia loves none but her reflection."

"You know as well as you do that it would have nothing to do with love," Edelgard said softly. "She'll break him, Hubert."

Hubert sighed heavily and said, "There is nothing to be done."

"I know...and I didn't even give him a proper goodbye," Edelgard said wringing her hands. "I'd wanted him to follow me but perhaps...perhaps I didn't explain well enough or—"

"Your Majesty," Hubert said disapprovingly.

"I know, I know." She sighed heavily and continued walking. "I'm going to train. Alone."

She briskly walked off ignoring the staff's comments on her lovely speech. But she didn't enter the Training Grounds—instead she went to her room.

' _Once more.'_ She told herself.

Just once more.

**-o0o-**

Not two days after officially becoming King and he was already conflicted.

Rhea's letter lay open at his desk as he paced the study that had once been his father's, worries and curses tumbling through his head as he muttered under his breath.

He had denied Edelgard because he didn't want to drag his people into war, and now Rhea was asking the same of him.

He should refuse, he wanted to refuse. He didn't wasn't to be a part of this, and he'd already told Edelgard that he would stay neutral unless she attacked Faerghus.

But given the Church's history with the Kingdom wouldn't that be a foolish idea? To turn his back on them when they needed him the most...it just seemed wrong.

But...El. He wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to face her, he simply hadn't prepared himself.

It continued like this for an entire week. Every thought dedicated to this decision.

Surely he'd be a hypocrite if he followed Rhea into battle but not El. But he could potentially invoke the Church's wrath if he turned away.

He thus focused on other things, complaints, proposals, questions...

Unseeingly opening up a final letter, his hands stilled as the casual greeting and elegant writing greeted him.

_El._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: The finale will be posted during New Year's Eve me thinks, it would be rather fitting, no? Also I'm tired af and my other readers have been waiting for content from my other stories for a looong time now, so yeah.
> 
> Anyway, again, hope you enjoyed! Probably never doing this "four chapters in a row" shit again :D
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


	24. The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Happy New Year boy's and girls! May I present to you...the finale!
> 
> This one was a lot of fun to write so I'm anticipating your enjoyment! :D
> 
> ANYWAY that's about it, enjoy!

_Dear Dimitri,_

_I sent this letter to the fastest messenger I could find but even so there's a possibility it won't reach you in time (assuming you intend on fighting with The Church). In the chance that it does, there are some things I must relay to you. I truthfully don't know if I will survive this attack—no matter how much I desire to stay alive and finish all this._

The sharp snowflakes of an upcoming blizzard sliced across Dimitri's flushed cheeks as he clutched the leather reins within his gloved hands. Edelgard's letter replayed in his head as he trotted through the snow atop his stead—he'd hoped a ride would rid his mind of all the stress.

It did no such thing.

_I simply wanted to tell you things I never was able to. Things I forgot I wanted to say after The Incident. And I don't believe "thank you, goodbye" can fit it all adequately, so…_

"Your Majesty?"

Dimitri blinked rapidly out of his stupor and glanced to his side where a worriedly frowning Ingrid rode side by side with him on a bay mare. "Are you okay?"

He forced a smile. "Of course."

Ingrid's frown darkened and Dimitri's smile disappeared into a sigh as he looked in front of him once more. "Forgive me. This was supposed to be...calming but this _blasted_ war it—"

"The choice is obvious, no?" Ingrid said. "We aid The Church."

Dimitri swallowed and clutched the reins tighter. "I—you're right it—I should—"

"It's the Empress, isn't it?" Ingrid said solemnly, and Dimitri's silence answered perfectly. He grappled with the words in his head before he could deliver a response.

"I promised her, Ingrid. I _promised_ her I wouldn't engage."

"Your Majesty...with all due respect, your duty is to Faerghus first. How would aiding The Adrestian Emperor with a power grab—"

"It's not," he cut in quickly. "She doesn't want power; she merely desires freedom for Fódlan." Catching Ingrid's wrinkled nose he quickly added, "I don't...I don't fully understand her disdain for The Church and nor do I agree with her methods but—she's still my friend, Ingrid. How can I betray her? What would you do, if you were in my shoes?"

Ingrid didn't so much as hesitate as she firmly stated, "I would choose Faerghus. I would do whatever it took to keep it and it's people safe regardless of emotional attachments."

Dimitri smiled weakly. "Of course you would. You would make a fine queen, Ingrid."

Ingrid chuckled lightly and raised her eyebrows. "Just how am I meant to interpret that comment, Your Majesty?"

Dimitri's lips twitched upwards in amusement but a full smile was stopped from forming at the thought that followed.

"Even if marriage was either of our intents...I'm afraid my Uncle has roped me into an arrangement. It wouldn't be possible."

"What?" Ingrid asked in surprise, tugging her horse's reins and urging her to stop. "An arranged marriage? With whom?"

Dimitri frowned and shook his head, "I'm...not sure. Although it is far from my mind at the moment what with...everything."

"A war would shake up anyone I would presume," Ingrid said sympathetically.

_...I want to properly express the magnitude of how your actions affected me. How much they, and you mean to me._

"Yes," Dimitri said looking away. "That."

Unfortunately, hiding his face from Ingrid didn't stop her from reading the inflections in his voice, and with a sigh she said, "Your Majesty...I've said this already but I will say it again; you can't put your personal emotions before our country—not anymore. You're King now."

"I know," Dimitri whispered, shaking his head. "I know, I know, _I know_ I just—El..."

"Has chosen her path," Ingrid cut in firmly. "And it's one you can't follow."

Dimitri sighed heavily and swallowed. "I know," he repeated, tugging the reins of his stead and slowed to a stop. "We should head back; a blizzard fast approaches."

Ingrid nodded in agreement before following Dimitri as he turned his horse around and spurred her forwards in a gallop with a light kick and an urging click of his tongue. The snowflakes cut sharper into his cheeks now, tears freezing to his lashes and hands shaking for reasons not related to the cold.

_That little dagger you gave me and it's symbolism, it aided in my inspiration. It fuelled my desire to carve a path outside of Arundel's reach. It was an anchor keeping me alive._

"Your Majesty!" a messenger cried urgently as Dimitri and Ingrid trotted back onto castle grounds. Dimitri halted his mount and held out his hand to accept the letter the messenger held out to him.

"It's from The Church, My King," the man said and Dimitri tensed. He'd run out of time, he was sure of it.

He could feel Ingrid's serious gaze burning against his neck as he inhaled slowly and muttered a numb, "Thank you," to the man.

Dismounting, he let a pair of stable hands lead his horse away as he stiffly strode into the castle, hand shaking at his side.

_Your persistent kindness at the Monastery is another thing I'll never forget. For the first time in so long you made me feel something other than detachment, resignation, and bitter anger. I didn't know at first why you immediately struck me the moment you approached me. But then I remembered everything and it all made sense suddenly._

Dimitri read over Rhea's letter in his study with slowly slumping shoulders. The Adrestian Army was only three days away, she claimed. If Faerghus was to help, it needed to be now.

He squeezed his eyes shut and leaned back in the desk chair, biting his lip until it bled before taking a quill, dipping it in ink and penning his reply.

With every word, he felt his heart splinter.

_No matter where your path leads adjacent to mine, whether it be far away or in direct opposition, I want you to know I will always cherish my friendship with you. Both when you were Dima, and when you were Prince Dimitri._

Dimitri had the messenger called back into the study to hand him his letter before turning to the innocently gleaming weapon held securely in its glass case.

_If we do end up fighting, do not lament. I assure you my sentiments will remain the same._

_Thank you, thank you for everything my long forgotten friend. It was because of you that I did not lose hope._

Dimitri rose from his seat and pressed his palm against the glass, Aredbhar shining through brilliantly. He then abruptly hiccuped on a sob as he pressed his forehead against it whispering, "I'm sorry." Again and again and again as if it made his decision any less treasonous to his heart.

_Goodbye._

_Love,_

_El_

**-o0o-**

"Good news, I presume?" Seteth questioned Rhea as she stood atop her balcony, smiling serenely into the distance.

She hummed and responded, "King Dimitri has accepted. Now with him, The Alliance, and our Knights, the Empire doesn't stand a chance." Her eyes glittered triumphantly as she turned to her advisor. "They realize that that girl compromises us all, and it pleases me greatly."

Seteth nodded slowly. "I see. Empress Edelgard's defeat will be thorough and swift then."

"No," Rhea said simply as she turned from the balcony and walked back into The Audience Chamber.

"I...don't understand," Seteth said in confusion. "You claimed yourself with our armies combined..."

"You misunderstand me, Seteth," Rhea said, pausing by a statue of the Goddess and smiling mildly brighter. "Her army will meet a swift defeat, but for the treacherous ideas behind that army to be destroyed as well...she will need to be made an example of."

"Made an...Rhea—"

"This can never happen again, Seteth. Never." She turned around and placed a palm on his cheek. "You understand, yes?"

"What do you plan on doing with her?" Seteth questioned as he stepped away from Rhea's hand, although if Edelgard were to be made an example of and wouldn't be allowed to die swiftly...Seteth knew it wouldn't be a simple beheading.

Rhea's smile fell slightly. "Why does that concern you?"

"She's a child, Rhea," Seteth said firmly. "A little girl barely eighteen. You can't actually—!"

"I've made my decision," Rhea said cooly as she stepped around him. "Find the Knights. I want to go over the plan once more."

**-o0o-**

This was it.

Either she fell here or she would succeed and carry on her rebellion.

Edelgard closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. When they opened again her gaze was trained sharply towards the Monastery looming in the distance. If all went to plan, that building would be a mere shell of its current beauty.

Clenching her fists, she turned around and addressed her army. "Remember," She told them. "Only a select few of us will break through the first line of defence. Then, once I give my…" Edelgard swallowed the bile in her throat briefly before nodding towards Arundel. "... _uncle_ the signal, we will charge with our full might. Questions?"

"Has Rhea enlisted the help of any allies?" Ladislava asked with a raised hand.

Edelgard turned to Hubert, silently urging him to answer. The Alliance and The Kingdom hadn't answered The Church's plea last she'd heard but that had been a week ago...much could have changed.

"From what I know, no. Our spies were unable to learn any new data however so take this with a grain of salt and prepare for extra resistance," Hubert stated.

It was a stupid childish wish...but Edelgard silently wished nothing had changed. Not only for the sake of this battle ending with her on top but also because fighting Dimitri—

She wasn't sure if she was ready to fight Dimitri.

"No need for the sad face, niece," Arundel drawled just before they left, hand gripping her shoulder. "Either way the boy lives...of course his actions simply depend on whether or not Cornelia will need to...ah forcefully subdue him." His smile broadened as he continued, "And if you fail I'm sure we could use Dimitri as our new face of the revolution—with some artificial upgrades, of course."

In a way...that was worse. So much worse. At least if Dimitri was dead he'd be safe from Arundel and his band of freaks.

Still, as she, Hubert and select few in the frontline soldiers marched onwards, she attempted to steel herself. If Dimitri was there...if he stood in her way then they would be enemies and she wouldn't be able to protect him from Cornelia and anyone else who sank their claws into him.

If Dimitri wasn't there then he was still out of reach. Perhaps he wouldn't be as meddled with but Edelgard still wouldn't be able to protect him.

And if Edelgard lost in either scenario then—

No. She didn't want to think of Dimitri going through the same torment she had.

And yet...and yet her mind taunted her, showing memories of Dima and Prince Dimitri strapped to tables and sobbing for a Goddess that didn't care to hear him.

So she forcefully replaced them with happy memories. Again...it was childish and foolish and she should simply stop thinking about him all together. But in a way it was a comfort. One less warm feeling of happiness before she rocked Fódlan to its core—whether dead or alive.

"Lady Edelgard," Hubert said, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. She hummed in response as he uttered, "You are shaking."

Edelgard frowned and turned to him fully, indignantly stating, "I am not—" he held up her hand and raised an eyebrow. The cursed thing was indeed shaking beneath taught leather gloves.

Glaring, she snatched her hand away and briskly walked ahead of him.

"If this is about that king again—"

"He has a name," she said coldly, eyes stubbornly trained on the Monastery before her.

Hubert let out a breath of agitation before grinding out, "If this is about _King Dimitri_ again then you need to set him aside."

"Why?" Edelgard demanded, glaring at him over her shoulder. "Did you lie then? Did he accept?"

"I would never lie to you, Your Majesty."

"Then let me have this."

"Lady—"

"If the time comes I will fight him. You know this. Or do you doubt me now?"

Hubert paused for a brief second before saying, "Of course not, apologies for overstepping." But that pause needled into her brain and plucked out her deepest anxieties.

What if, when faced with harming Dimitri that she faltered after all? It had been bad enough when he was simply Prince Dimitri but now he was also Dima. How—?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of thunder exploding through the sky. Edelgard and the rest of her army looked up as clouds swiftly swirled around above them.

"Where did these clouds come from?" Edelgard questioned out loud as Hubert's visible eye narrowed.

Seconds later, the Crest of Charon flashed into existence above them. Edelgard's eyes widened in horror and she cried, "Scatter!"

The army broke apart just as a giant lightning bolt shot from the sky and exploded against the dirt path with an explosion and a flash. Stray tendrils of electricity shot out and slammed into Edelgard's back as she and the rest of the soldiers were thrown forwards. A scream of agony left her lips as she fell to the earth with a heavy thud, gasping for breath.

"Lady Catherine," Hubert snarled through gritted teeth as he forced himself up on convulsing limbs. He spat out the blood in his mouth as he continued, "We underestimated her range with that blasted Crest."

Edelgard coughed, both due to the light fire the lightning had caused and the stench of singed corpses she knew were behind her.

Edelgard pushed herself to her feet, tugging out the elixir flask strapped to her hip and drinking a small sip. Immediately the twitching in her limbs stopped as she said, "Where is she? We need to find a blind spot."

Hubert nodded firmly after sipping from his own flask before turning around and yelling, "Winged mounts! Find out where Lady Catherine is!"

Thankfully the armoured soldiers far behind the carter that bolt had caused snapped out of their shocked stupor to kick their Pegasi and Wyverns into flight. Four left at once, reaching the clouds and circling the Monastery just over the hill's crest.

Moments later, arrows and spells shot from the towers with blinding speed and horrifying accuracy. The two Pegasus riders went crashing to earth with a well placed Thoron blast while one of the Wyvern riders were shot out of the sky with an arrow lodged in his throat.

The final rider swiftly swooped towards the waiting Edelgard and Hubert screaming, "Tower to the left! Tower to the left!" Clouds swarmed above him, the Crest of Charon appeared, and lighting singed both man and beast to bones covered in charred mangled flesh.

Edelgard gritted her teeth before saying, "I'm going to risk Warping closer."

Hubert's eye widened and he swiftly shook his head. "Lady Edelgard, we discussed—"

Edelgard ignored him completely, desperation clutching her heart as she dashed into the tree line for cover. Catherine would destroy all their current force within minutes and there was no way she could bring in the rest of the army with that threat hanging over her head.

"I won't lose," she told herself firmly. "I _won't_ lose."

Once buried beneath the canopy of leaves she Warped away and reappeared in the blessedly deserted town.

Eyeing her surroundings, Edelgard unsheathed the silver axe strapped to her back and strode cautiously through the empty streets.

Immediately her shoulders tensed sharply, and within seconds she'd spun out of the way of a flying axe. Her eyes glanced briefly to find the axe had lodged into a nearby house door before snapping towards the charging Knight emerging from the shadows of two shops.

Edelgard rushed forwards to meet him, eyes narrowed in concentration before she Warped out of the way of his left swiping sword in the last instant.

She reappeared behind him, skidded to a stop, twisted sideways and rammed her shoulder into his armoured back, taking advantage of his forwards momentum.

The Knight fell with a cry of surprise that was swiftly silenced as Edelgard buried her axe blade within his skull.

Tugging her weapon out of the dented and now bloody helmet, Edelgard swung it forward with a grunt and slashed an arrow from the sky, spinning around to block another heavier axe that connected with hers.

She gasped under the weight before clutching the handle of her weapon and sending electricity zooming through it. The soldier screamed and convulsed, giving Edelgard time to push him and his axe backwards before kicking his fried corpse in the chest.

As she'd hoped, the Knight fell in direct path with that of a nearby mage and she fell backwards beneath his bulky weight with a shriek. The spell she'd been casting exploded and Edelgard swiftly jumped out of the way of the blinding flash of Throron.

She'd barely enjoyed her victory when a brawler slammed into her from her side and sent her crashing through a door with a cry or surprise.

The two fell heavily to the ground, Edelgard's axe slipping from her grasp. Quickly however, she tugged her dagger from beneath his body and plunged it deep into his exposed abdomen. The man roared in agony before grabbing Edelgard by the throat and hoisting her up.

She gasped for breath for only a moment before he tossed her like a rag doll against the wall.

Edelgard's vision spotted and her skull thrummed with pain as she struggled to her feet, grasping the handle of her fallen axe tightly.

The brawler dashed forwards with a war cry that she silenced as she sent her axe flying upwards. It cut free a candelabra and the structure crashed atop the man's head.

He faltered for a moment, but Edelgard used it as an opportunity to dart forward and plunge Dimitri's dagger even deeper, twisting it firmly.

She then tugged the blood soaked weapon out of the gurgling and choking soon to be corpse and spun to toss it into the throat of an archer who had tried sneaking up on her.

Behind the fallen archer, a mage stood, and blasted her straight in the chest with Sagittae orbs. Edelgard was sent flying once more, crashing through the house and tumbling onto the cobblestone streets.

Gasping for breath and cursing, Edelgard pushed herself to her knees and took out her flask once more, only able to drink a small amount before having to roll out of the way of another blast.

Goodness, if she was losing breath now, it was prudent thinking on her part that she didn't Warp closer than she already had towards—

A Pegasus rider swooped down towards her and Edelgard scrambled to her feet, hands alight with flames that she didn't get to throw once the woman tossed a spear in her direction.

Edelgard jumped sideways and rolled, ducking as the mage behind her fired again. She then stood up just in time for the rider to swoop down once more and slice her across her chest.

She cried out falling to her knees and clutching the bleeding wound before quickly Warping to a nearby rooftop to catch her breath and drink more elixir.

She needed to be in top shape to face Rhea...anything less and—

An arrow buried itself and Edelgard's arm and she involuntarily released the flask in her hand with a cry of pain. She could only watch in horror briefly the flask clattering to the street and spilling its contents before another Pegasus rider swooped forwards and kicked her off her perch.

Edelgard fell with a shout of surprise before landing hard, the breath knocked out of her lungs and the black spots reappearing.

"Careful!" A Knight shouted. "What are you fools doing?! Don't kill her! Don't!"

Edelgard's brow furrowed at that command before a blast of violet illuminated the sky and tossed the riders from their mounts.

"Lady Edelgard," Hubert's voice said urgently as he appeared in her vision, kneeling beside her and handing over his flask.

She sighed in relief as the agony stabbing her back and skull dissipated when she sat up and drank.

"I can hardly believe you charged lonesome into enemy territory," Hubert said with a shake of his head. "Are you alright?"

Clearly not. Hubert was right, what _had_ she been thinking? She sighed to herself and shook her head. She was absolutely going mad thanks to this war she'd initiated.

"Fine," she said getting to her feet and moving towards her fallen weapons. The axe lay not too far away from the now dead mage. And thankfully, Dimitri's dagger was still buried in the neck of that archer. "How is the army?"

"Evading the lightning as best they can but..." Hubert frowned worriedly. "Well it's fairly difficult."

From outside, the sound of screams of agony followed the galloping of hooves against cobblestones and the swish of a scythe. Death Knight paused before the destroyed house's open door and stated, "We must make haste. The defences must be taken out." He was followed warily by a dozen soldiers staying a safe distance away from him. Smart.

Edelgard nodded in agreement, silently grateful that the two had decided to follow her. "Alright," she said, sheathing her dagger and twirling her axe. "Onwards."

The Knights weren't nearly as intimidating with allies by her side. But as the Monastery grew ever closer, her anxiety slowly climbed.

There would surely be more foes to worry about within—

Suddenly, an arrow whizzed by and stabbed the ground centimetres away from Edelgard's foot.

Three heads darted upwards where a familiar cheekily smiling archer stood atop the spine of a roof. "'Ello friends!" He called jubilantly with a wave.

Hubert's hands became engulfed with violet magic as he narrowed his eyes at Claude.

"Whoa, whoa, hey! I just wanna talk," Claude insisted, slinging his bow over his shoulder and holding both hands up.

"You shot an arrow at us," Edelgard deadpanned.

"Flashy way to get your attention," he winked. "Trust me, if there's one thing you gotta know about me, Ice Princess it's that I never miss a shot."

Edelgard rolled her eyes and scoffed at the bold declaration as Claude continued. "Although...it's not _princess_ anymore, is it?" He slid down the roof's shingles and landed in a crouch before them. "Your Ice _Empress_ now," he smiled up at her, verdant eyes not carrying a fraction of the cheerfulness in his demeanour. "A war huh? That's what it's come to?"

Edelgard sniffed and looked away from him. "I hardly think you'd understand," she said, placing a firm hand on Death Knight's wrist, as he was practically twitching to charge at Claude for no particular reason.

"Try me," Claude said, standing up fully and crossing his arms across his chest. "Clearly there's some Church hatred but I don't feel like that's it."

"To put it simply, I want a world where your life isn't dictated by your blood and heritage but only your abilities," Edelgard said.

Claude hummed theatrically before saying, "Yeah you're right, I don't get it. Because there's several things you could've done before...well that," he nodded towards the carpet of corpses trailed behind Edelgard and her small entourage.

"Oh?" Hubert sneered with crossed arms. "Pray tell."

"Well, use your influence as Empress to point out the Church's faults and slowly wean people out of the Crest and nobility System, going after Rhea al assassin style instead of dragging people into a bloodbath if you think she's such a threat, passing laws to—"

"Again, you wouldn't understand," Edelgard said firmly. "Especially someone like you."

Claude's smile broadened but his eyes grew ever more frigid, narrowing slightly. "Someone like me, huh?"

"An outsider," Edelgard clarified. "You don't know Fódlan's history, and thus you may never be able to right the injustices—"

Claude laughed then, a biting bitter sound tinged with frost. "And you think I don't know anything about injustice, eh? ' _Someone like me?'"_

Edelgard shook her head. "I didn't—"

"You know for someone who wants to fix Fódlan or whatever, you're _kinda_ bigoted," Claude stated causally.

"What?" Edelgard demanded. "I am not—! It was a simple deduction based on—!"

"My heritage?" Claude finished as he raised his eyebrows. "Oops! She's a hypocrite too, ladies and gents!"

"Enough of this. I bore quickly from this conversation." Death Knight said darkly. "Step aside or face my wrath."

"Yes, Claude," Edelgard said in a voice she hoped properly masked her flayed ego. "Move voluntarily or we will cut you down."

"That's your problem, Edelgard," Claude sighed dramatically as he rolled his head. "Oh so violent. Not even going to try negotiating? Are you just going to kill everyone who doesn't agree with you?"

"I have laid out my terms perfectly; move now or I strike," Edelgard said coldly, stepping forwards and levelling the infuriating boy with a sharp glare. "Final warning."

"Stunning wit, Your Majesty, but that's not negotiating," Claude said casually. "You know there's someone you remind me of! I think you know her, teal hair, creepy smile, dead eyes of a sociopath—"

Edelgard's Crest flashed violet on the back of her hand and she charged forward with enhanced speed. There was no possible way he could dodge at this speed. No way he could block her swinging axe fuelled by fury and adrenaline.

And yet her blade met another, the vibrations stunning her to a stop as she stared wide eyed into the narrowed dark blue eyes of Byleth Eisner. Within a second she'd taken advantage of Edelgard's stunned shock and disarmed her with ease, sensing her axe clattering to the street.

"Hey, Teach! Right in the nick of time," Claude greeted cheerfully as his former Professor pointed her blade at Edelgard's throat.

Behind her, Hubert held out his hand to stop Death Knight from charging while the mage watched the scene with narrowed eyes.

"Rhea wants an audience with you," Byleth said. "Surrender and come with us."

Edelgard tilted her chin upwards and narrowed her eyes. "Does she? Well I'm afraid the only time I'll be interacting with her is when I duel her."

"You won't get that far," Byleth said calmly. Not a mockery, simply a statement. "We have dozens of elite knights and mages, and while we've been given orders not to kill you I think you'd rather see Rhea while standing strong instead of limping on one leg, am I wrong?"

"Is that a threat?" Edelgard challenged.

Byleth shrugged. "I guess. It's not an empty one, though."

Edelgard shared a split second glance with Hubert. If Byleth was under orders not to kill her...

"No, I suppose not," Edelgard agreed. She stepped back with her hands up. "Fine." Beside her, Hubert's lips twitched upwards slightly.

Byleth watched Edelgard for a few moments before gesturing towards Claude with her head. "Got the manacles?"

Claude didn't answer, instead he swiftly nocked his arrow and let it fly at the exact second Hubert lifted his hand to send a barrage of Dark Spikes shooting forward. The arrow lodged into his wrist and caused him to grunt in pain, sending the spell spiralling off target.

"You should have got the mage," Byleth sighed as she landed after leaping out of the destructive spell's path and pointing a hand forwards.

"Hey, like I said I only wanted to talk!" Claude defended as knights began to pour from the Monastery entrance in droves. "Besides, why didn't you use your teleporting mojo?"

"I don't teleport," Byleth said simply as she sank into a fighting stance.

' _Could have certainly fooled me,'_ Edelgard thought as Death Knight charged to meet Byleth's blade and Hubert engaged Claude. But Edelgard wasn't paying attention to either.

There, in the distance within a tide of war crying loyal fighters Rhea strode out, hair in a low braid that danced in the wind, body draped in ethereal armour and hand holding a sword and shield both.

Her fierce eyes locked with Edelgard's, a snarl twisting her lips before Edelgard's vision of her was blocked by a leaping assassin.

Edelgard unsheathed her dagger and blocked his twin blades, twisting out of the way of his descent as she charged to where her axe had been dropped.

The assassin followed with incredible speed, and had almost managed to hit her with a slash before she could roll underneath and snatch up her axe, spinning with the intent to knock the swords from his hands.

The weapons chattered to the cobblestone and Edelgard slashed her axe across his neck.

Checking to see that the flask given to her by Hubert was still intact, Edelgard charged through the throng of soldiers with Hubert, Death Knight and few of her soldiers, goal set on The Archbishop.

**-o0o-**

"Well, _somebody's_ quiet!" Sylvain teased lightly as Dimitri stared unseeingly before him, the sound of battle growing louder and louder in his ears and the Monastery growing ever closer.

If the fighting was still happening...it meant El was still alive, yes? At least for now.

He swallowed thickly as he clutched the reins tighter. He didn't want to...oh Goddess how was he going to—?

"Well you're _definitely_ in a bad—"

"Oh, shut up, Sylvain," Felix snapped.

"Joking at a time like this is hardly appropriate," Dedue stated from Dimitri's side with a disapproving frown.

"And that's _exactly_ why I'm easing the mood! We could die you know."

Dimitri squeezed his eyes shut as he imagined such a horrible scenario. Sylvain skewered, Ingrid broken irreparably, Felix a mess of burnt and mangled pieces, Dedue choking on his own blood—all because of him, him and his horrible, inadequate—

The world swam before him as he opened his eyes and he swiftly held his shaking hand up to stop the army marching behind him.

"Your Majesty?" Dedue question worriedly as Dimitri felt another sob crawling up his throat.

"Hey!" Felix barked and Dimitri jolted in surprise as the swordsman stepped up towards Dimitri and glared up at him. "Pull yourself together, Boar."

"I c—I can't do—I can't lose—" Dimitri shook his head as a tear slipped loose from his eye. "I can't do this."

"Well suck it up. We can't turn back now you told them we were coming."

"Wow, since when did _you_ care about breaking promises?" Sylvain asked, leaning back on his horse to regard Felix with a pair of raised eyebrows.

"Shut _up_ , Sylvain!" Felix spat acidly before turning back to Dimitri. "You know these people. If we don't show up—"

"I'll be as good as declaring me their enemies," Dimitri said softly. "I know."

"And would you rather, what?"

"Not...having Faerghus invaded."

"Good." Felix stepped away from him then as Dimitri gestured for his army to move again, swallowing through the knot tightening his throat and continuing onwards.

He couldn't believe he was doing this. He was going to fight and possibly kill El. The girl who taught him to dance and—

"I'm sorry," Dimitri whispered once more under his breath as the flag of Faerghus was raised and they all charged.

**-o0o-**

With a guttural scream, Edelgard sliced through an archer and finally broke out of the throng of bodies, gasping and limping towards the steps of the Monastery doors. Rhea stared down at her as if she were dirt beneath her shoes.

Gritting her teeth, she ascended the steps, drinking a quarter of her flask and feeling it rejuvenate her. The army below seemed to pause to watch her, and the silence caused her every step to echo.

Once atop, the two women glared at one another.

"I don't care for your reasons," Rhea hissed. "I cannot permit for this foolishness to continue!"

"The feeling is mutual," Edelgard responded, raising her axe. "Tonight I will put an end to your reign of tyranny."

Rhea laughed bitterly and pointed her sword forwards. "You are nothing more but a naive little girl _daring_ to defy The Goddess!"

Edelgard swung her axe and the blade crashed against Rhea's, a loud singing of metal permeating through the air. "My bone to pick is with _you,"_ she ground out, jumping away from Rhea's sideways slash. "The Goddess is simply collateral."

Another dark laugh escaped Rhea's lips as she stalked forwards. "Breaking you will be all too _delicious."_ Her Crest flashed on the back of her hand and she dashed forwards with outrageous speed.

Edelgard was slammed into and thrown backwards into the Grand Hall with a cry of surprise before swiftly regaining her bearings, landing hard onto her two palms and flipping herself backwards to her feet just as Rhea slammed down with her sword.

Landing, Edelgard caught her axe from midair and swung for Rhea's neck but she was gone again. She felt the air shift and pivoted around to slice at Rhea's reappearing face this time but she'd held up her shield to block.

"I didn't spend so long fixing everything for you to come and tear it down with your foolishness!" Rhea yelled as she pushed forwards sharply and caused Edelgard to stumble backwards.

"Look at Fódlan!" Edelgard yelled back, clanging her axe against Rhea's sword again and again until the sound of it caused her head to hurt. "What have you fixed, you forsaken tyrant?!"

Rhea let out an unintelligible shriek of rage, as she disappeared again with a flash of her Crest. Edelgard sucked in a sharp breath as she watched the blurred form circle her before going in for the attack with the same intense speed.

' _Now.'_ Edelgard ducked underneath a slash that would have slit her throat before pressing her palm against the back of her weapon and slammed the axe blade into Rhea's chest.

The woman gasped before staggering backwards against the wall, she then let out an almost animalistic snarl before her Crest flashed once more. Edelgard expected her to speed around her again, but instead she began to slowly rise into the air, magic crackling in her palms before she let loose what Edelgard recognized to be Agnea's Arrow.

Edelgard's eyes widened before she jumped out of the way and rolled back to her feet, the spell exploding the entirety of the once Great Hall and causing Edelgard to stumble to her chest.

An invisible force then lifted her into the air, and she felt panic clasp around her heart.

She was forced to spin around to face the equally hovering Rhea as she held her hand up towards her. "You run on _nothing_ more but daydreams. Not to worry, once I've defeated you I will show Fódlan what becomes of such sinners."

Edelgard was then tossed upwards, yelling in pain when her body slammed against the ceiling. The pain hadn't been given a chance to settle before another spell shot towards her vulnerable form.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Edelgard quickly Warped away, reappearing in the Cathedral and flinching as the spell shot upwards in a brilliant beam of light and crumbled the ground away.

Crying out as her broken ribs shifted, Edelgard crawled away as fast as she could before she fell into the slowly gaping hole. It was to no avail however, the new patch of marble she tried to latch onto crumbled away and she began to fall.

Using all her strength, she Warped once more, this time reappearing on the far end of the room to catch her breath. With shaking hands, she lifted the flask to her lips and drank generously before taking in a deep and staggering to her feet.

"I can do this," Edelgard whispered to herself as Rhea rose from the ground like a vengeful spirit. "I _must_ do this."

Narrowing her eyes, Rhea, shot another Arrow spell at her. Cursing, Edelgard Warped herself into the air behind the woman, kicked off the wall and aimed for her head once more with a loud war cry.

Rhea turned too late, the blade burying itself into the side of her neck as Edelgard threw her whole await against her. The already crumbling marble cracked violently beneath them as The Archbishop began to gasp and choke on her own blood.

Pulling the axe out with a squelch, Edelgard spat, "What is it you wanted to show Fódlan again?"

Rhea's shocked gaze became murderous, and Edelgard watched in horror as the deep wound on her neck slowly stitched itself back together. Moments later, Edelgard was thrown back once more, Rhea's hand clenched tightly around her throat as she was slammed against the wall.

"I said..." she began in a chilling voice, the hand not holding Edelgard up glowing white before slamming against her abdomen. Through Edelgard's shriek of blinding agony as the spell tore through her internal body, she continued, "Once I defeat you, I will show Fódlan what happens to sinners!"

Rhea tossed Edelgard into the air and bashed her face with her shield, sending her crashing and tumbling to the ground as her skull exploded with agony and a gash opened up on her forehead.

Edelgard couldn't even get up before she'd been levitated once more. She was then elbowed viciously in the stomach by Rhea and sent crashing through the balcony doors. Her head crashed hard against the heavy stone handrail and for a moment she was rendered blissfully unconscious.

But of course, Rhea was anything but merciful.

With a sharp strike to the face, Edelgard was violently brought back to the land of the living, Rhea's cruel eyes boring into her pain dazed violet ones.

"Look," she hissed, her voice growing deeper and echoing eerily, pupils lengthening and green shimmering from her form.

Edelgard watched wide eyed as Rhea's face morphed, scales fading onto her skin, teeth protruding from her mouth, horns growing from her skull...

In a blinding flash of light, Edelgard was pinned beneath a giant lizard-like claw, gasping at the agony on her sour and aching body. The balcony cracked under the weight, and Rhea squeezed Edelgard's slight form in her clawed hand before raising into the sky with two mighty beats of her leathery wings.

Half the Cathedral crumbled into the courtyard as they flew high into the sky. Once they'd reached a point that Rhea seemed suitable she flapped idly in the air and opened her palm. She then flipped Edelgard onto her bleeding abdomen and pinched a handful of hair, forcing her head up. "Look at what has become of your army," she boomed.

Lightning was picking off groups of men at a time, volleys of arrows laid waste to the rest that escaped and winged mounts tossed knights into the air before dropping them to their deaths.

Shamir, Alois, and Jeralt fought with intense vigour, laying waste to countless foes without seeming fatigued.

The emblem of red was slowly being eaten away by too many soldiers of different colours—one of which...she realized was azure blue.

Her heart plummeted.

She'd known this could happen...but yet she still felt utterly betrayed.

"That isn't all of it," Edelgard croaked through her bruised vocal chords. "Hubert will have—"

"Do you mean the group of fools waiting behind the wall?" Rhea questioned, a hint of smugness seeping into her voice.

Edelgard, through Herculean strength managed to stop the horrified whimper from escaping her lips, but she could not stop the tears from springing to her eyes.

"You're not the only one with spies, von Hresvelg. And The Alliance are rather fabulous in that department," she continued. "So now do you see? Do you see how pointless it is? What happens to naive girls who challenge The Church?"

' _No. No, no, nonononono this was wrong, this was all wrong! It wasn't supposed to be this way! It wasn't! Why, why, why?'_

How had things gone so wrong?

Edelgard squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears from spilling out. No, no. She couldn't falter. They could still change the tides.

 _She_ could still change the tides.

Edelgard's hand slipped to her hip and slowly pulled out her dagger. Gritting her teeth she rolled swiftly to her back and tossed the blade into Rhea's large eye.

The beast shrieked in agony as blood gushed out, tossing Edelgard off her palm involuntarily as she raised her hands to cover her clawed appendages to cover the eye.

Edelgard's breath left her momentarily as she fell from the sky, the wind tugging at her hair and stealing her breath, embers and light rubble cutting against her cheek...

' _Focus,'_ she told herself before Warping closer to the ground. Flash. 100 feet. Flash. 50. Flash 10.

Edelgard slammed to the marble floor of the half destroyed Cathedral. Crying out in agony as she clutched her now broken leg.

She couldn't move. She couldn't concentrate she couldn't think—but she had to _move_ lest—

Wind gushed through the once beautiful Cathedral and a flash of light followed as Rhea landed against a carpet of broken glass and stone. She snatched the dagger hilt and sharply tugged it out of her wounded eye with a gasp of pain, tossing it to the ground as she strode towards Edelgard's fetal form and the socket regrew an eyeball.

"I'm going to drag you to the centre of that battlefield by your hair," Rhea said cooly as her hands became electrified and she tossed a ball at Edelgard.

She cried in pain and twitched as Rhea continued. "Then I will parade you around..." she tossed another one and Edelgard bit her lip to stop the scream. "And show them..." another. A tear finally escaped Edelgard's scrunched lids. "That Edelgard von Hresvelg...!" Her voice rose in volume as a stronger electric blast caused Edelgard to scream again. "Is nothing more but a foolish!" Blast. "Idiotic!" Another. "Sinful little girl that deserves to be—!"

Her voice cut off abruptly, replaced with a breathless, bloody gasp and the sound of blood spilling onto the marble.

Edelgard opened her eyes slowly. "Hubert?" She croaked, blinking the water from her eyes, only to find a scene that sent a shockwave of disbelief shooting through her spell fried system.

Dimitri stood behind Rhea, Aredbhar plunged straight through her back and a furious look covering that oh so welcome face.

**-o0o-**

' _This is for Faerghus,'_ Dimitri had told himself several times as he chipped away at Edelgard's dream with every Adrestian soldier that fell to his eldritch blade.

But the guilt didn't go away, he couldn't stop apologizing in his head...

And then he had heard her scream.

It was the same primal instinct that had overcome him all those moons ago during the bandit attack. Faerghus no longer mattered, the war and The Church no longer mattered. All that mattered was finding El and saving her before it was too late.

He'd galloped through the flaming town, set for the Monastery where he'd heard her voice, the constant repeat of "I'm sorry." Quickly replaying, "El. El. El."

He needed to find El. He needed to protect El. He couldn't let her die—Goddess forgive him but not even for Faerghus.

As he galloped into the building, deaf to all the sounds of his title being called, the ceiling came down. Dimitri vaulted off his horse and stumbled to his feet, not daring to stop his forwards momentum as the entrance became closed off.

He charged up the steps, muscles burning with exertion and breath coming out in ragged puffs. The shaking of the building had him stumbling, the crown on his head kept slipping down his brow but it was the sound of Edelgard's pained shriek that caused all those inconveniences to become irrelevant.

"El!" Dimitri screamed hoarsely. "I'm coming! I'm coming!"

The ground shook once more and Dimitri staggered against a wall before continuing onwards. "Hold on! Please, hold on!"

' _Don't take her from me,'_ He also silently begged the Goddess. ' _Not El. Please don't take her from me too.'_

Tears leaked down his cheeks as he ran faster. "Please..." he whispered.

He charged through the unhinged doors of the now destroyed Cathedral, and there El was, curled up and crying as Rhea tortured her relentlessly, all the while spewing insults and threats.

Immediately, his fear became bloodlust.

Charging forwards with a roar, Dimitri plunged Areadbhar straight through Rhea's back, relishing the sight of her blood staining the dusted marble and the choking noise she made.

How dare she? How dare she hurt El?

"Hubert?"

El.

Dimitri turned to find Edelgard staring in confusion up at him.

"D-Dimitri?" She whispered in awe, attempting to push herself up, only to cry out and slump back down.

"Edelgard," Dimitri breathed tenderly as he tugged out his lance from Rhea's body and crouched before the quaking girl. "El. I'm here, you're safe now."

He placed his weapons down before he pushed the lopsided crown and the loose strands of his hair, then moved to unclasp his heavy fur cape in order to use it as a bandage. But Edelgard shook her hewed.

"The flask," she said hoarsely. And within a moment he found the enchanted object strapped to her waist. Quickly, he tugged the flask, uncapped it and pressed it to her lips.

She choked slightly before the liquid went down, and Dimitri watched colour return to her face just as it ran out. She closed her eyes breathing a sigh of relief before she pushed herself to her knees slowly.

"Careful," Dimitri said, holding her shoulders and helping her right herself. "Careful."

But Edelgard's eyes were trained on his, steady but tinged with a dash of hope. "Why...why are you here?"

Dimitri swallowed and said, "I heard you scream I—I'd accepted Rhea's plea if only to keep the unspoken alliance between us going strong but—I couldn't—you—" he shook his head and turned back to Rhea with a frown, her teal eyes staring at nothing.

Edelgard followed his gaze, eyes alight and lips parted. "She's...dead?" She breathed.

He laughed bitterly. "Yes. I don't think The Church will desire Faerghus's aid now."

A smile threatened to break across Edelgard's face before it faded, the hope in her eyes dimming away with it before she said, "I will tell them it was me...everyone will believe it, and then you can..." she took in a deep breath. "Keep your alliance for when—when Faerghus—"

"No."

Edelgard blinked in surprise. "I beg your—?"

"I can't possibly leave your side, Edelgard," he said with a shake of his head. "Every second of every day I'm worrying, wishing...wanting. It's maddening I—" he paused, licking his lips. Before whispering. "I don't agree with you, but I can't hurt you, El—it would kill me inside if—"

"Stop!" Edelgard cut him off, placing a finger on his lips and looking away from him with closed eyes. "Don't—you can't say that unless you mean it,"

"I do," Dimitri said firmly as he squeezed her wrist gently. "Every single word, El."

Edelgard's hand trembled as she slowly turned back to him. "You—you want…"

Dimitri hesitated again as his mind forced him to think with his head and not his heart. War had already begun regardless of him wanting it. And while he could still salvage an alliance with The Church, then what? He would have to go through this all over again—worrying and unwilling. To live with that, while being King?

He looked back at her, the hope in her eyes flickering but swiftly fading out.

"I want to walk with you," Dimitri confirmed finally with a smile. "Yes, Edelgard. As I said I—"

Edelgard lunged towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his neck, causing Dimitri to startle.

"Thank you, thank you, _thank you,_ you have no idea how—" she pulled back from him, staring at him with shimmering pastel eyes that for the briefest moments dropped to his lips...

She shook her head firmly and stood up swiftly, Dimitri following suit. "We...we have to get back to...ah the others it..." she took in several deep calming breaths but the excitement in her face didn't fade, and it made Dimitri smile brightly. "With The Church out of the way and you here I...we only have to take The Alliance and then—"

The words from Edelgard's mouth cut off the second a simultaneously surprised and agonized scream escaped Dimitri's. Pain erupted through his side as warm blood spilled from his lips and he crashed to the ground with a painful thud.

"How dare you..." a voice hissed from above Dimitri's numb body, the after effects of magic in the air dissipating. "Use that weapon against me!"

" _NO!"_ Edelgard screamed, paying Rhea no mind as she fell back to her knees and rolled Dimitri to his back. "No, no, no, no!"

"So, your sins have corrupted even the King of Faerghus," Rhea spat. "This shows I was a fool to entrust humanity with rulership—all of you are greedy savages!"

Dimitri's vision was quickly fading, and he could only see smudged blurs of Edelgard's panicked face and Rhea's furious one, the blood from her supposedly mortal wound caked on her clothes.

"I will make an example of _both_ of you!"

It was that comment that caused Edelgard to snap. The back of her hand burned a blinding crimson and her body glowed as she yelled, " _Get away from him!"_

Rhea's eyes widened in shock before her form was blocked by a wall of flame that circled he and Edelgard, keeping them safe. The symbol of Flames then faded and Edelgard fell to her hands, blinking rapidly taking several deep breaths before turning back to Dimitri.

"It's okay," she told him in a much softer voice, swiping away the bangs clinging to his sweaty forehead and resting that hand on his cheek. "I'll fix you. But you can't close your eyes, do you understand? Stay awake."

Dimitri couldn't answer, too busy trying to get oxygen to his no doubt punctured lung so he nodded weakly instead. She pressed her hands against the wound and Dimitri hissed in pain, Edelgard shushing him gently.

He could feel magic being pushed into his wound, but it was weak...just like...

His eyes fluttered and he could have sworn he saw a familiar face kneeling beside him as well; glacier coloured eyes, blonde hair, a trim beard.

"F-Father?" Dimitri whispered, lips pulling up into a smile. The more his eyelids fluttered the clearer his image became. He didn't look like he usually did, he wasn't ragged angry—he looked sad, no bittersweet. He was smiling but it shook with effort and there were tears in his eyes.

"Don't cry, Father," Dimitri mumbled, reaching a hand to touch his face. "I'm coming now—"

"No!" Edelgard commanded and he was shaken vigorously. Lambert disappeared and his eyes opened fully again to see Edelgard framed by an inferno once more. "Keep your eyes open, don't you dare close them, Dimitri!"

"I...'m try...ing," Dimitri breathed weakly as Edelgard pressed her palms even tighter against the wound.

"Why can't I heal you?" Edelgard asked shakily. "Why won't it—no! Stay awake! Dimitri, please—!

When he began to drift off again, Glenn was there this time as well. He wasn't crying like Lambert, but he still looked bittersweet as he gave his shoulder a pat. "You always loved rushing," he said. And just hearing his voice—not accusing or biting or angry, but just like the actual Glenn when he was alive—

Tears leaked from Dimitri's eyes as his smile broadened. His family...he was going to see his family again—

Edelgard's scream of frustration pulled him back.

She was pounding one hand repeatedly against the ground while the other shakily tried to mend Dimitri's wounds. Tears were falling from her eyes too, and she was shaking with sobs.

"Dimitri," she whimpered, removing her hand from his chest and cradling his face. "Don't leave me. Don't leave me too."

' _I'm sorry'_ he tried conveying with his eyes, the sad smile on his lips, the gentle rubbing of her hand with his thumb.

"Dima..." she whispered, placing her forehead atop his, the flames around them dying slowly.

"E...l..." his breath ran out then, and the world disappeared.

**o0o0o0o0o Epilogue o0o0o0o0o**

It was a bit like floating.

There was peace flowing through his heart for the first time in forever and the knowledge that everything was okay loosened the weight on his shoulders.

The field he was walking through was filled with red poppies and bathed in moonlight, and there waiting at the very edge of his vision was—

"Father!" Dimitri cried happily, charging through the fields with a shout of carefree laughter escaping his lips.

Lambert turned, a smile—an actual smile on his face as Dimitri neared him. Beside him was a woman—a woman who wasn't Patricia.

She was blonde, eyes a coffee brown, face decorated in light freckles and a tearfully joyous smile on her kind heart shaped face. The woman ran to meet Dimitri with a laugh of her own, wild curly hair bouncing behind her with her arms outstretched in a wanting hug.

Lambert followed, slower however in more of a speed walk.

And then Dimitri's steps froze. He frowned in confusion, and looked around.

The serene scene was cracking.

Lambert stopped, smile becoming the bittersweet one he'd given him when he...well he couldn't truly remember when he'd given him that look. But the woman...the woman was hysterical.

Her gaze of joy and love became one of horror as she sped up, screaming, "Dimitri!" tearfully over and over again.

The world was shattering and falling apart now, and Lambert was saying something but Dimitri couldn't hear him because the woman was screaming, and the moon was so bright it was blinding—

Dimitri blinked slowly, the light above him glaring back down. Confusion swam through his thoughts as he took in his surroundings, bloody utensils, metal, leather straps—

And then confusion slowly faded into rage as his gaze landed on a face he never wanted to see unless it was twisted in agony.

"Good morning, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd," Volkhard von Arundel said with a smirk. "We're delighted to have you back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: AAAAAND Part I is DONE! 
> 
> I was actually contemplating forgoing the little stinger at the end and making it look like the story was over by marking it complete for a little while but A). I'm not THAT cruel and B). You guys aren't stupid! They didn't even kiss yet, HELLO.
> 
> Also Claude's not hiding his heritage this time around because I never knew who the hell that guy thought he was fooling--he LEGIT looks like Cyril's older brother and most if not all the non-Fódlan characters were BIPOC coded so when that turned out to be his deep dark secret I was like. "Wait, what...?"
> 
> Anyway, I mentioned this already but Part II will be VERY character driven. Not just Dimitri and Edelgard but the other students plus Claude and Byleth will have storylines, character arcs, relationship arcs, etc! It will also NOT follow the canon timeskip--THAT will come in Part III. Part II is like a mid-point between the two. 
> 
> Follow my Twitter "The Fantasy Fan" or @Glitter_in_her for updates and news because I'd like to tweet stuff and not just retweet :D
> 
> Fantasy Fan OUT!


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